On June 5, 2024, Keller Rohrback partner, Cari Campen Laufenberg was appointed as Co-Lead counsel in the In re 23andMe, Inc. Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, MDL 3098 in the Northern District of California. Along with co-appointees Gayle M. Blatt of Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield, LLP and Norman E. Siegel of Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP, Cari was selected by United States District Judge Edward M. Chen based on factors “including but not limited to experience (e.g., with multi-district and/or class litigation, complex litigation, and data breach/privacy litigation); resources; the scope of the class; and the support of other attorneys.” 

The MDL comprises a total of 39 actions pending in three federal districts, and concerns a breach that allegedly exposed information shared by users of the cite seeking to research their ancestry and contact genetic relatives. That data includes usernames, DNA relationship matches, location information, ancestor birth and surname information, profile pictures, and more. 23andMe confirmed that up to 6.9 million of its customers might have been exposed and compromised by the hackers, using a so-called “stuffing attack.” 

Congratulations to Cari for this important appointment on a prominent data security case!