Amid a rising number of lawsuits in response to this year’s data breach, pioneering genetic testing firm 23andMe Inc. has filed a motion to transfer litigation proceedings to Northern California. The court jurisdiction suggested is in proximity to the company’s headquarters in South San Francisco, which could potentially centralize the disparate cases in a single venue.
The motion was lodged on December 21 before the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, with 23andMe’s representation via Attorney Ian Ballon, who operates out of Los Angeles and Palo Alto, California. At the time of this filing, Ballon noted a continuing escalation in the lawsuits filed over the breach that was publicly announced on October 6, now totalling over 30 cases. He anticipates that this number is projected to further inflate.
The decision to consolidate and relocate these cases might suggest a strategic move on 23andMe’s part to better manage and potentially mitigate the effects of this growing legal quandary. It also raises broader questions about how companies like 23andMe handle breaches of this magnitude – and the ensuing legal recourse sought by affected parties.
More information about 23andMe’s call for a transfer of lawsuits can be found at the original article from Law.com.