OVERVIEW
Steve’s work focuses on complex antitrust and cybersecurity litigation. Steve handles key roles in each of his matters, from taking on case initiation and discovery, to ensuring that case teams are prepared to handle all issues that may arise.
Steve has worked on dozens of cybersecurity and privacy cases, including large MDLs, and he has successfully collaborated with hundreds of lawyers working with and under him as he oversaw discovery and similar efforts. Steve currently serves in leadership roles for a number of cases, including as co-lead counsel in the consolidated IBM/Johnson & Johnson Data Breach case; on the Plaintiff's Steering Committee in the In re: BPS Direct, LLC, and Cabela's, LLC, Wiretapping litigation; as Co-Chair of Plaintiff's Discovery in the In re: Samsung Customer Data Security Breach Litigation case; on the Plaintiffs’ Interim Executive Committee in the Curd v. Spirit Airlines, Inc. case; and on the Plaintiff's Steering Committee in the In re Independent Living Systems Data Breach Litigation case.
In addition, cases in which Steve has played a significant role include: In re: T-Mobile Customer Data Security Breach Litig. ($500 million settlement, conducted initial lead plaintiff vetting and secured named class representatives' approval of proposed settlement, assisted with class counsel fee and appellate briefing); In re: Marriott International Inc., Customer Data Security Breach Litig., (class certified; assisted in negotiating ESI protocol and defendant custodians to be searched, briefed and argued confidentiality designation motions, assisted with appellate briefing); In re: American Medical Collection Agency, Inc. Customer Data Security Breach Litig. (partial settlement pending); In re: Equifax, Inc. Customer Data Security Breach Litig. ($500 million settlement to consumers with $1 billion in upgraded data security; conducted initial lead plaintiff vetting and secured named class representatives' approval of proposed settlement); In re: Arby's Rest. Group, Inc. Data Security Litig. (~$5 million settlement); In re: Target Corporation Customer Data Security Breach Litig. (nationwide class certification granted with $60 million settlement approved; oversaw offensive discovery and document review).
Steve has also worked across the bar with other cybersecurity lawyers representing defendants to advance the law on these issues and is currently a member of Sedona's Working Group 11 on Data Security and Privacy Liability.
Steve also represents clients in civil investigations initiated by State Attorneys General. Steve’s early legal career was spent primarily practicing business, securities, and administrative litigation as an Associate in Am Law 100 firms in New York and Los Angeles. Through this work, he honed his legal skills and began to focus on sophisticated antitrust and securities fraud cases. In the area of administrative law, Steve assisted in obtaining a precedent-setting interpretation of liability provisions of the Federal Aviation Regulations to the benefit of a major firm client.
Steve serves as a mentor to newer attorneys, helping to ensure that our firm and our co-counsel continue to achieve outstanding results for our clients.
Clients
Steve represents competitors and customers in antitrust and competition matters. In cybersecurity and data breach cases, Steve represents both payment card issuer and consumer classes in the most substantial cybersecurity and data breach cases resolved and currently being litigated.
EDUCATION
Queens College, MS.Ed., May, 2006
Hofstra University School of Law, J.D., with distinction, 1987
Queens College, B.A., 1984
BAR ADMISSIONS
California
New York
United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation
Numerous District Courts
AFFILIATIONS
Hofstra Law Review, Member (1985-1986)
Hofstra Law Review, Research Editor (1986-87)
Hofstra Law Fellows Program, Chair (1986-87)
The Sedona Conference, Working Group 11 (Data Security and Privacy Liability)
WHAT OTHERS SAY
National Law Journal
- Elite Trial Lawyers, Hausfeld wins Privacy/Data Breach category in 2024
PUBLICATIONS
Other publications include:
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- Report on Jurisdiction of Federal and State Courts over Civil RICO Actions, NYSBA (1989), Principal Author
- Brodsky & Adamski, Law of Corporate Officers & Directors, Clark Boardman Callaghan (1986), Research Assistant
Press
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- Health Data Breach Class Actions Surge as Cyberattacks Climb, Bloomberg Law (August 23, 2023)