Blog
PERSONAL SAFETY IN THE ERA OF CYBER-CRIME
Carlson Lynch Cyber-Threat Litigation Team Someone is trying to steal your data. It has likely happened already, through a hacked email or a social media breach. Hackers work around the clock and all over the world to steal your identity. While they don’t actually care who you are personally, they want the “you” that is inherent in your personal data. From a legal standpoint, cyber-criminals are difficult to prosecute, because they are experts at covering their tracks. Institutions, on the other hand, are being challenged to protect their clients and employees. When a major breach occurs –millions of accounts are raided. This type of breach is often the result of organizational negligence or the company not adequately protecting a customer’s data. So how can you protect yourself in the ever-changing landscape of the web? We’ve compiled a list of quick checks to help you maximize your chance of withstanding a data breach. As technology progresses, it is important to use best practices for cyber-security, at home and at work. Use strong passwords. This is your primary defense against cyber-criminals. Creating unique passwords for each account may feel like a hazzle but remember this is your main line of Read More...
Partner Katrina Carroll Speaks at E-Discovery Conference
Back row: Simeon Morbey, Katrina Carroll, Drew Lewis, Lea Malani Bays, Jeannine Kenney, Brian Clark, Annika Martin, Jonathan Wiley, Rebekah Bailey Front row: James Bilsborrow, Jonathan Jagher, Shana Scarlett, Daniel Stromberg Carlson Lynch LLP Partner, Katrina Carroll presented at the fifth annual E-Discovery Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota this month. The conference, also known as the Complex Litigation E-Discovery Forum, is based on best practices for plaintiffs’ side complex litigation attorneys. The two-day seminar focused on depositions and e-Discovery. Carroll’s topic, “The Interplay of Depositions & E-Discovery: Plaintiff Offensive Review Workflows and Tips” included several strategies when preparing class action plaintiffs for the litigation discovery process. She highlighted how crucial it is to 1). Establish open dialogue with each client, outlining the importance of transparency in communication and 2.) The discovery process could involve the investigation of a client’s online presence. Social media interactions can result in a waiver of attorney-client privilege. Those clients pursuing litigation must be careful when sharing information on social media and not discuss specific details of their case, otherwise, they forfeit their privilege. In this day in age when oversharing is the norm, attorneys must compel their clients to focus their energy on communicating Read More...
CARLSON LYNCH WINS $24 MILLION DOLLAR AWARD ON BEHALF OF CERTIFIED CLASS OF MORTGAGE BORROWERS FOLLOWING 13 DAY FEDERAL COURT ARBITRATION
On March 24, 2017, a three judge panel awarded $24 million dollars to a certified class of mortgage borrowers represented by Carlson Lynch. The award followed a 13 day arbitration trial conducted in the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh. The panel of arbitrators included a former judge from the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and two former litigation department heads at AmLaw 100 law firms. Bruce Carlson was co-lead counsel for the class and Carlson along with his partner Gary Lynch led the Carlson Lynch trial team that tried the case. This arbitration award represented the culmination of more than ten years of litigation, including three trips to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the certification of a RICO class which was affirmed by the Third Circuit. Judge Arthur Schwab was the presiding judge in the District Court.
Target Credit and Debit Card Breach Lawsuits
A massive data breach occurred when credit and debit card information from about 40 million Target shoppers was stolen. The Target Corporation announced that the track data was stolen as payment cards were swiped in its stores between November 27 and December 15, 2013. The Target breach resulted in millions of stolen credit and debit card account data allegedly being sold on the black market. Target has said hackers stole the personal information, including names, email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses of as many as 70 million customers. A number of banks, credit unions and other entities that issued debit and credit cards, several of which are represented by Carlson Lynch, are now suing Target for the cost of canceling and reissuing cards, closing transactions or accounts, refunding or crediting cardholders for unauthorized transactions, and notifying customers of the data breach. The Target data breach has forced these institutions to pay millions of dollars to reissue compromised cards and repay customers whose accounts were struck with fraud. The banks and credit unions who have brought suit also seek damages for business lost as wary customers avoided making card purchases. The class action suits brought by Carlson Lynch allege Read More...
Unpaid Internships: Career Opportunity or Free Labor?
In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008 and subsequent economic downturn, a pernicious employment practice has emerged which victimizes people who try to advance their careers through an internship. As unemployment increased and hiring slowed, many companies converted paid internships into unpaid internships. Unpaid internships are not new, of course, but the practice is very widespread today, even in sectors where they were previously uncommon. An unpaid internship may be a great opportunity, but in some cases the employer may be using unpaid interns in ways which violate state and federal labor laws. In today’s difficult employment environment, potential interns must take steps to protect themselves from unfair labor practices by learning the difference between a legitimate internship and an exploitative one. In some cases, legal action is necessary to reclaim wages which should have been paid. People take unpaid internships for a number of reasons: they may feel compelled to avoid a gap on their resume, they may believe that the unpaid internship offers a possible path to full-time paid employment, or the internship may offer a uniquely valuable experience at a firm where entry-level positions are scarce. Some unpaid internships certainly benefit the interns by Read More...
ATM Accessibility For The Blind And Visually Impaired
As technology has evolved and the manner in which retail banking services are delivered to the public has changed as a result, Automated Teller Machines (“ATMs”) have proliferated. However, it has been a challenge to ensure that the increasing convenience offered by an ever-expanding number of ATMs is also made available to disabled American consumers. For example, to understand how difficult it would be for a blind person to use an ATM, a sighted individual need only close his or her eyes, approach the ATM and attempt to perform a banking transaction—any transaction. It is impossible to perform the transaction without vision because the input modalities for the transaction rely upon visual cues, which are of course meaningless to somebody who is blind. In fact, since the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) in 1991, banks and financial institutions which provide banking services through ATMs have been required to ensure that all services available at the ATM are fully accessible to, and independently usable by, individuals who are blind. The 1991 Department of Justice Standards required that “instructions and all information for use shall be made accessible to and independently usable by persons with vision impairments.” Initially, Read More...
