Law firm Sheppard Mullin sued in class action after data breach disclosure

A former employee has filed a proposed class action against Sheppard Mullin, alleging an August data-security breach exposed Social Security numbers and other sensitive information. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in California on Wednesday, follows the Los Angeles-based firm’s disclosure to state attorneys general in California, Texas and elsewhere. Sheppard Mullin said the incident on August 31 involved a limited number of documents and that there was no access to the firm’s systems or network. The 1,200-lawyer firm said it has notified affected clients and individuals. The plaintiff seeks class status for more than 1,000 people and damages above $5 million, citing negligence and California unfair business practices claims.