Slideshow Blossom Value True Hardware co-owner Michele Bernal said the Mission Law firm targeted her business in 2013 for an ADA lawsuit. Voice file photo by Michelle Le Previous Next

A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit against a San Jose law firm notorious for filing thousands of disability lawsuits against small businesses.

As of Oct. 20, all parties notified a federal judge that they had agreed to a settlement deal before the case was scheduled to go to trial. The rush to settle the case came as the defendants, accused of running a criminal enterprise, were being ordered by the court to produce more than 70,000 emails, text messages and other documents relevant to the case.

The defendants include several attorneys, consultants and clients of the now-closed Mission Law Firm, headed by attorney Tanya Moore, which gained a reputation for using the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to shake down small businesses through canned lawsuits. The firm and its spinoffs are believed to be responsible for more than 2,000 accessibility suits across the state, including hundreds of cases targeting small businesses in the Bay Area. Locally, attorneys from the firm have sued Ava's Market, Blossom True Hardware and Taqueria La Espuela in Mountain View, forcing the businesses to pay a quick settlement or risk a lengthy and expensive trial.

Some business owners blamed the lawsuits for forcing them out of business. Restaurants including the Omelette House in Mountain View, Jason's Cafe in Menlo Park and San Jose's Time Deli each shut down after being hit by an ADA suit.

Last year, the Mission Law Firm itself got sued, facing allegations it was no different than a criminal enterprise that could be prosecuted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. That civil case, filed by Burlingame-based attorney Moji Saniefar, alleged the firm used fraud and extortion to coerce small businesses into paying settlements.