Paul Karlsgodt serves as the leader of BakerHostetler’s class action defense team, and has significant experience defending class actions in the complex and cutting-edge area of data privacy on behalf of companies and organizations in a variety of industries, including the insurance, healthcare, consumer and education sectors.
A thoughtful and trusted leader, he has served as lead counsel for defendants in class action litigation arising out of data breach incidents of all sizes, and affecting various industries and governmental entities.
Paul has led or is leading the defense of more than a dozen different data breach class action matters over the past year alone, and has achieved success for clients in a number of high-stakes cases.
Experience :
- Has served as lead defense counsel in class actions arising from many of the largest healthcare and payment card breaches in history, as well as in various other healthcare breach class actions arising out of hacking, theft and inadvertent disclosure.
- Defended a large healthcare organization in 12 class actions in Illinois state and federal courts arising out of the theft of computers alleged to have contained patient information for more than 4 million patients. Motions to dismiss all the lawsuits were granted. The dismissals were with prejudice in all but one of the cases.
- Led a cross-office team in the successful defense of a California hospital in one of the largest data breach class actions ever filed under the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act. Client initially faced more than $500 million in potential statutory damages exposure, but ultimately prevailed in all aspects of the case, which was finally dismissed by the plaintiff with no payment by the defendant.
- Capitalizing on experience in the courtroom, obtained a denial of class certification after serving as lead counsel in a multiday evidentiary hearing in a consumer class action involving the sale of uninsured motorist insurance coverage.
- Obtained an order denying class certification in a putative class action against an insurer involving demands for reimbursement of medical payment benefits. Settled the case on an individual basis during an appeal of that order.
Memberships :
- American Bar Foundation: Fellow
- Rhone-Brackett Inn of Court: President-elect
- Washington Bar Association
- Denver Bar Association
Education :
- J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 1997
- B.S., Purdue University, 1993
Admissions :
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 1999
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
Cost
Rate : $$$