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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 5. Commitments and Contingencies

Letters of Credit and Guarantees - We provide letters of credit to landlords (lessors) of our leased premises in lieu of cash security deposits, which totaled $1.7 million and $1.3 million at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. In addition, we provide license bonds to various state agencies to meet certain licensing requirements. The amount of license bonds outstanding was $2.3 million at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

Legal Proceedings - In 2010, CBIZ, Inc. and its subsidiary, CBIZ MHM, LLC (formally, CBIZ Accounting, Tax & Advisory Services, LLC) (the “CBIZ Parties”), were named as defendants in lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona and the Superior Court for Maricopa County, Arizona. The federal court case is captioned Robert Facciola, et al v. Greenberg Traurig LLP, et al, and the state court cases are captioned Victims Recovery, LLC v. Greenberg Traurig LLP, et al, Roger Ashkenazi, et al v. Greenberg Traurig LLP, et al, Mary Marsh, et al v. Greenberg Traurig LLP, et al; and ML Liquidating Trust v. Mayer Hoffman McCann, P.C. (“Mayer Hoffman”), et al. Prior to these suits CBIZ MHM, LLC was named as a defendant in Jeffrey C. Stone v. Greenberg Traurig LLP, et al.  

These lawsuits arose out of the bankruptcy of Mortgages Ltd., a mortgage lender to developers in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Various other professional firms and individuals not related to the Company were also named defendants in these lawsuits. The lawsuits asserted claims for, among others things, violations of the Arizona Securities Act, common law fraud, and negligent misrepresentation, and sought to hold the CBIZ Parties vicariously liable for Mayer Hoffman’s conduct as Mortgage Ltd.’s auditor, as either a statutory control person under the Arizona Securities Act or a joint venturer under Arizona common law.

With the exception of claims being pursued by two plaintiffs from the Ashkenazi lawsuit (“Baldino Group”), all other related matters have been dismissed or settled without payment by the CBIZ Parties. The Baldino Group’s claims, which allege damages of approximately $16.0 million, are currently pending, though no trial date has been set.

On September 16, 2016, CBIZ, Inc. and its subsidiary CBIZ Benefits & Insurance Services, Inc. (“CBIZ Benefits”) were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The federal court case is brought by UPMC, d/b/a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and a health system it acquired, UPMC Altoona (formerly, Altoona Regional Health System).  The lawsuit asserts professional negligence, breach of contract, and negligent misrepresentation claims against CBIZ, CBIZ Benefits and a former employee of CBIZ Benefits in connection with actuarial services provided by CBIZ Benefits to Altoona Regional Health System. The plaintiff now seeks compensatory damages of between $124.0 million and $266.0 million, plus punitive damages. The Court denied CBIZ Benefits’ motion for a summary judgment and trial is set for March 2021.

On December 19, 2016, CBIZ Operations, Inc. (“CBIZ Operations”) was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by Zotec Partners, LLC (“Zotec”) in the Marion County Indiana Superior Court.  After various amendments, the lawsuit asserts claims under Indiana law for securities, statutory and common law fraud or deception, unjust enrichment, breach of contract, and vicarious liability against CBIZ Operations and a former employee of CBIZ MMP in connection with the sale of the CBIZ MMP medical billing practice to Zotec. The plaintiff claims that CBIZ Operations had a duty to disclose the fact, unknown to employees of CBIZ Operations at the time of the transaction, that the former employee had a financial arrangement with a Zotec vendor at the time CBIZ Operations sold CBIZ MMP to Zotec. The plaintiff is now seeking damages of up to $177.0 million out of the $200.0 million transaction price. The Company believes we have strong defenses to these claims and damages demanded. Trial is set for March 2021. 

We cannot predict the outcome of the above matters or estimate the possible loss or range of possible loss, if any. Although the proceedings are subject to uncertainties inherent in the litigation process and the ultimate disposition of these proceedings is not presently determinable, we intend to vigorously defend these cases. In addition to those items disclosed above, we are, from time to time, subject to claims and lawsuits arising in the ordinary course of business.