A former call center representative has filed a collective action lawsuit against a legal referral service company, alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Matthew Greenlee initiated the complaint in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey on November 20, 2025, targeting Lawyer.com Inc. as the defendant.
The case revolves around allegations that Lawyer.com misclassified its call center representatives and similar workers as independent contractors rather than employees. This classification allegedly led to a failure to pay overtime wages as required by the FLSA. Greenlee claims that he and others in his position were subject to strict control by Lawyer.com, which dictated their work procedures, monitored their performance through various metrics, and provided necessary tools and software for their tasks. Despite working over 40 hours per week, they were only compensated for time spent actively on calls and not for waiting periods or overtime hours.
Greenlee’s complaint highlights several aspects of his employment that suggest an employer-employee relationship rather than an independent contractor status. These include mandatory training sessions, regular communication through company-provided platforms like Slack and Softphone, adherence to detailed scripts and protocols outlined in a 75-page training manual, and participation in company activities such as newsletters featuring an “Employee Spotlight.” The plaintiff argues that these factors demonstrate significant control by Lawyer.com over its workers’ activities.
In addition to seeking back pay for unpaid wages and overtime compensation, Greenlee is pursuing liquidated damages, penalties, litigation costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees. He aims to represent all similarly situated individuals who worked as call center representatives or similar roles for Lawyer.com within the past three years under the same alleged misclassification.
The legal team representing Greenlee includes Franklin J. Rooks Jr. from Morgan Rooks P.C., along with James E. Goodley and Ryan P. McCarthy from Goodley McCarthy LLC. The case is being heard under Case ID 3:25-cv-17771 in front of judges at the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Source: 325cv17771_Greenlee_v_Lawyer_dot_com_Complaint_District_New_Jersey.pdf
