WilmerHale sued over alleged data breach exposing client social security numbers

A May security incident prompted a federal suit alleging exposure of sensitive client and employee data, raising fresh questions law firm cyber defenses.

In Washington, the large American law firm WilmerHale has found itself at the center of a lawsuit over a data breach that, according to the plaintiff, earlier this year affected the confidential personal data of clients and employees.

The federal lawsuit filed in Washington alleges that the firm failed to provide adequate protection of personal data, including names and social security numbers.

an unauthorized third party, which has recently been targeting law firms in the legal sector, recently obtained a limited set of information from the firm.

The plaintiff, Jason Perry of Nevada, brings this suit on his own behalf and on behalf of thousands of others with similar circumstances as part of a widespread cyberattack.

The complaint states that an unauthorized third party, which has recently been targeting law firms, recently obtained a limited set of information from the firm; the incident was isolated, internal data were not used or disseminated, and the third party did not have direct access to the systems or networks.

We regret that this incident occurred, and we continue to bolster our security in response to a changing threat landscape.

Perry said he received notice from the firm that his private information had been involved in the breach. The lawsuit does not specify what exact relationship Perry had with WilmerHale, which employs more than 1,100 lawyers and has offices in the United States and Europe.

The complaint states: Perry and others “were providing private information to the defendant in order to obtain services.”

Perry’s attorney, Laura Grace Van Note, stated: “While every major data breach is serious, for a global firm like WilmerHale, the lack of proper data protection is particularly shocking.”

Law firms are increasingly becoming targets of cyberattacks. Among other recent lawsuits against firms are Wiley Rein, Fox Rothschild, and Blank Rome.

The complaint states that WilmerHale’s network was breached in May. The hackers are not named, but it notes that one or more unauthorized individuals had access to the private data of people in the case.

A posting dated July 10 on the Vermont Attorney General’s Office website indicated that the breach affected 11 residents of the state.

The Perry suit seeks unspecified monetary damages and the implementation of heightened data security measures.

Case: Jason Perry v. Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, No. 1:26-cv-02470.

For the plaintiff: Laura Grace Van Note of Cole & Van Note and David Weiss of Wise Law Firm.

For the defendant: no counsel has appeared yet.

In this context, the WilmerHale case underscores the growing threat of cyberattacks to leading law firms and highlights the need to strengthen cybersecurity in the industry.

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