Johnson & Wales University Reaches Preliminary Settlement in Data Breach Class Action
A U.S. District Court judge has granted preliminary approval for a class action settlement between Johnson & Wales University (JWU) and plaintiffs affected by a 2024 data breach. The settlement covers individuals who received a notice of the "Security Incident" via a letter dated September 19, 2024, as outlined in the amended complaint.
Chief Judge John J. McConnell ruled that the proposed settlement class meets the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23, citing the large number of affected individuals, common legal and factual questions, and the adequacy of the plaintiffs' representation. The court also determined that class action litigation is the most efficient method for resolving the dispute, as shared issues outweigh individual claims.
In his decision, Judge McConnell found the settlement terms fair, reasonable, and the result of "serious, informed, non-collusive negotiations." The agreement avoids preferential treatment for any class member and falls within an acceptable range for approval. The eight-page ruling, Springer, et al. v. Johnson and Wales University (Lawyers Weekly No. 52-002-26), marks a key step toward resolving the case. Final approval proceedings will follow.
Johnson & Wales University cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/johnson-&-wales-university
"id": "JOH1768502541",
"linkid": "johnson-&-wales-university",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "9/2024",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'thousands of individuals',
'industry': 'Education',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'Johnson & Wales University',
'type': 'Educational Institution'}],
'customer_advisories': 'Notices sent to affected individuals on September 19, '
'2024',
'data_breach': {'personally_identifiable_information': True},
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2024-09-19',
'description': 'A U.S. District Court judge has preliminarily approved a '
'settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit against '
'Johnson & Wales University following a data breach. The '
'settlement class includes all individuals notified of the '
'security incident via a letter dated September 19, 2024.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': True,
'data_compromised': True,
'identity_theft_risk': True,
'legal_liabilities': True},
'investigation_status': 'Settlement preliminarily approved',
'references': [{'source': 'Lawyers Weekly',
'url': 'https://www.example.com/full-text-opinion'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'Class action lawsuit'},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Notices sent to affected individuals '
'on September 19, 2024'},
'title': 'Johnson & Wales University Data Breach Class Action Settlement',
'type': 'Data Breach'}