When Companies Run the Courts

“Like the best works of modern advocacy, When Companies Run the Courts sets off red alerts for the structural injustices we live among… . Ballou’s book is essential, urgent reading.” –The Cascadia Advocate
“Comprehensive … Excellent.” –Slate
“Shocking … A well-reasoned denunciation of justice unserved, and a cogent demand for overhauling a patently corrupt system.” –Kirkus
“Hard-hitting … Ballou unpacks labyrinthine legal reasoning in clear, down-to-earth prose that spotlights the human cost of ‘a cruel and lawless system.’ It’s a forceful indictment of one of America’s most unjust and problematic legal frameworks.” –Publishers Weekly
“Ballou is one of our most insightful analysts of the modern American legal system. This careful study should be required reading for anyone concerned with how the courts really work–and what can be done to make the judicial system fairer. Forced arbitration is a serious problem that needs to be confronted head-on. Ballou shows us the way.” –Simon Johnson, Nobel laureate and coauthor of Power and Progress
“When Companies Run the Courts is essential reading for every American compelled to sign fine-print, standard-form contracts to get a cell phone, rent a car, use a credit card, or download a rideshare app. Ballou’s analysis is brilliant, his writing is engaging, and his book makes what could be a heavy legal topic into page-turning reading. This book not only illuminates how we got to a point where people are routinely stuck with unjust contracts dictated by corporations, but will make you hopeful about how to fix it.” –Lisa Graves, author of Without Precedent
“Ballou does an absolutely masterful job of explaining to a general audience what’s wrong with forced arbitration. For people who feel that companies are above the law, When Companies Run the Courts shows that they’re right, and why. Most importantly, it tells people what they can do about it.” –David Horton, professor of law, UC Davis School of Law
“Ballou exposes a made-for-TV story of wealthy corporations collaborating with Republican-controlled courts to create a coercive, barely legal process: forced arbitration. The near-conspiracy-level story of corporate greed is as readable and propulsive as it is maddening. Unlike much of what ails our legal system, however, there are ready fixes that Ballou offers readers. For those looking to understand an overlooked aspect of our two-tier justice system and do something about it, When Companies Run the Courts is a must-read.” –Leah Litman, New York Times bestselling author of Lawless
“In Frank Capra’s America, everyone can have their day in court. In the real world, however, we are all subject to another justice system, tilted toward large corporations in ways that are maddeningly opaque and abusive. Ballou explains how we got here and what’s to be done about it in this illuminating, lucid, and righteously furious account.” –Jesse Eisinger, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Chickenshit Club
“Most people don’t know about forced arbitration, but they’re certainly hurt by it, and so is democracy: It’s the reason why you can’t sue companies when they cheat you, discriminate against you, or even kill someone you love. When Companies Run the Courts shines a light on this shadow justice system that takes public justice and hides it in corporate control.” –Zephyr Teachout, author of Corruption in America
“Individuals harmed by corporate defendants are more likely to be struck by lightning than to prevail in forced arbitration. Ballou pulls back the curtain on this insidious and rigged program. This should be required reading for anyone seeking protections in the marketplace.” –Linda Lipsen, CEO, American Association for Justice

Brendan Ballou is a former federal prosecutor and served as special counsel for private equity in the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. He is the author of Plunder: Private Equity’s Plan to Pillage America, which was named one of Fortune magazine’s best books of the year. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Politico, Slate, and The Atlantic.

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