The reports do not say whether the dismissal was with or without prejudice, or whether a settlement was involved. The original allegations have not been tested in court. Plaintiff Jasmine Trotter alleged the firm never notified her of the breach and failed to take reasonable protective steps. A Reuters-sourced report said the exposed data included names and Social Security numbers.
The dismissal removes one of the first-filed class actions tied to a wider campaign. The FBI has linked social engineering ransomware attacks on several law firms in late May to a hacker group known as Silent Ransom Group, or Luna Moth, and has warned that the group targets large firms this way. Weil Gotshal confirmed a similar May breach, and Jones Day was previously claimed by the group. Law.com counted at least 10 Big Law firms reporting breaches between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Industry coverage notes the group has leaked plaintiffs' data from other class actions, which could affect how suits against law firms proceed. Attorneys handling breach litigation should track how courts treat that leaked data and review their own firms' exposure to attorney-targeted social engineering.