Anthropic Judge Warns Firm Against ‘Extortion’ In Opt-Out Bid

By Editorial Team

A California federal judge reiterated concerns on Tuesday about Arizona law firm ClaimsHero allegedly misleading authors to opt out of AI company Anthropic’s $1.5 billion deal to resolve copyright infringement claims. The judge warned the firm against what he described as “extortion” tactics.

The judge’s remarks came as part of an ongoing legal battle involving Anthropic and various parties, including ClaimsHero, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

According to the judge, ClaimsHero’s actions appear to be aimed at securing a “nuisance settlement” rather than pursuing legitimate legal avenues. The judge emphasized the importance of fair and transparent legal practices in resolving disputes.

Several law firms are involved in the case, including Arnold & Porter, Cowan DeBaets, Edelson PC, Freedman Normand, Latham & Watkins, Lieff Cabraser, Oppenheim & Zebrak, Stris & Maher, and Susman Godfrey.

On the corporate side, Anthropic PBC and Bragg are among the key companies involved in the dispute.

Legal experts anticipate further developments in the case as the court continues to address the issues raised by the judge regarding ClaimsHero’s conduct in the opt-out process.