Arkansas Attorneys Received Millions in PPP Funds to Represent the Well to Do

Did you have trouble obtaining a PPP “loan” from the Small Business Administration? These are a couple of the Arkansas law firms that fared better than you:

Rose Law Firm received $1,847,135.

Quattelbaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC received $1,224,000.

Borrowers were eligible for loan forgiveness if they followed these criteria during the set period after disbursement of the funds:

• Employee and compensation levels are maintained,
• The loan proceeds are spent on payroll costs and other eligible expenses, and
• At least 60% of the proceeds are spent on payroll costs.

These firms represent such clients as Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC, the nation’s second largest debt buyer, First American Home Warranty Company and other big businesses.

We, the taxpayers, subsidized these aggressive firms while average citizens could not afford to protect their own rights during the pandemic.

Notably, Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc., the law firm that serves those who cannot afford an attorney in a civil matter, received $521,600. That means the 54 employees working for the firm that provides access to justice to the lower and middle economic classes received less than a third of the money that went to Rose Law Firm to serve its billionaire clients.

This data was compiled by the Washington Post who obtained it from the SBA after filing a FOIA request and lawsuit. You can see other companies that received over $150,000 here.