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Elizabeth Olien quoted in news article on Mount Ida College court ruling

Elizabeth E. Olien is quoted in a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly article on the decision of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirming the dismissal of a putative class action against the firm's client, the former President of Mount Ida College, that was filed after the school’s closure in May 2018.

The court ruled that the complaint failed to allege a viable claim against the school’s former President, Barry Brown, and the other defendants, including allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, fraudulent misrepresentation, and breach of privacy.

The lawsuit raised several issues, including whether Mount Ida sufficiently disclosed its financial status to its students in the months prior to the school’s closure.

The 1st Circuit ruled that as a matter of law the college’s officers and directors acted appropriately, did not mislead anyone, and made truthful public filings and statements about the school’s financial condition.

“It’s certainly an unfortunate circumstance that the school had to close,” Ms. Olien told the publication in its April 13 issue, “but it did not close due to any sort of wrongdoing on behalf of any individuals that were involved.”

Ms. Olien concentrates her practice on counseling individual, corporate, and educational clients in complex business disputes, general commercial litigation, and investigations.