Court filing
MOTION to File Documents Under Seal — Bofa Ca Unemployment (Dkt. 481)
Summary
Bank of America, N.A.'s motion to file under seal portions of its response opposing the plaintiffs' ex parte motion for leave to file a surreply on the bank's motion for a protective order, in In re Bank of America California Unemployment Benefits Litigation, Case No. 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, filed 05/09/25 as Document 481 (5 pages). The bank seeks to seal the parts of its response that discuss exhibits the court already sealed in the dispute over apex depositions of high-level executives. It argues that good cause applies to discovery disputes and that disclosure of its confidential business information risks competitive harm or use to commit fraud. It incorporates its earlier sealing motions.
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Cite this document
“MOTION to File Documents Under Seal — Bofa Ca Unemployment (Dkt. 481).”
Original at ecf.casd.uscourts.gov, No. 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB, Doc. 481. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/court-filings/full-docket-bofa-ca-unemployment-casd-709615/2025-05-09-gov-uscourts-casd-709615-481-0-gov-uscourts-casd-709615-481-0/
, SHA-256 1afb5b1eb57dcf137620dec3ff4ba32b78ff55ccc235aa1dcec6057c3840d73a.Full text
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB Document 481 Filed 05/09/25 PageID.28873 Page
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1 JAMES W. MCGARRY (pro hac vice)
JMcGarry@goodwinlaw.com
2 GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
100 Northern Avenue
3 Boston, MA 02210
Tel.: +1 617 570 1000
4 Fax: +1 617 523 1231
5 SABRINA M. ROSE-SMITH (pro hac vice)
SRoseSmith@goodwinlaw.com
6 MATTHEW L. RIFFEE (pro hac vice)
MRiffee@goodwinlaw.com
7 GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
1900 N Street, NW
8 Washington, DC 20036
Tel.: +1 202 346 4000
9 Fax: +1 202 346 4444
10 Attorneys for Defendant
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
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12 [ADDITIONAL COUNSEL LISTED IN SIGNATURE BLOCK]
13 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
14 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
15 SAN DIEGO DIVISION
16 IN RE: BANK OF AMERICA Case No. 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB
CALIFORNIA UNEMPLOYMENT
17 BENEFITS LITIGATION DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO
18
FILE UNDER SEAL PORTIONS
OF ITS RESPONSE IN
19 OPPOSITION TO PLAINTIFFS’
EX PARTE MOTION FOR LEAVE
20 TO FILE SURREPLY TO
DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR A
21 PROTECTIVE ORDER
22
23 Ctrm: 2D – 2nd Floor
Judge: Hon. Gonzalo P. Curiel
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DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SEAL CASE NO. 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB Document 481 Filed 05/09/25 PageID.28874 Page
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1 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Local Civil Rule 79.2(c),
2 Defendant Bank of America, N.A. (“Defendant” or “BANA”) hereby submits this
3 Motion to File Documents Under Seal (the “Motion”) in connection with Defendant’s
4 Response in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Ex Parte Motion for Leave to File Surreply to
5 Defendant’s Motion for a Protective Order (the “Response”). Consistent with the
6 Court’s prior sealing orders finding good cause to seal portions of the parties’ briefing
7 and exhibits submitted in connection with BANA’s Motion for Protective Order
8 (ECF 466, 467, 477), BANA also seeks to seal the portions of its Response that
9 discuss those already-filed and sealed exhibits.1
10 As previously stated in BANA’s motions to seal submitted in connection with
11 class certification briefing and argument (ECF 328, 337, 344, 347, 383, 418) and
12 BANA’s Motion for Protective Order (ECF 451, 470), the public’s right to inspect
13 and copy judicial records is not absolute, and a party faced with the disclosure of
14 confidential or proprietary information may seek to file the documents under seal to
15 avoid disclosure of business information that might result in competitive harm or be
16 used for improper purposes. See Nixon v. Warner Commc’ns, Inc., 435 U.S. 589,
17 598 (1978) (denying disclosure); Local Civ. R. 79.2(c). A party seeking to seal
18 documents filed in connection with a discovery dispute must show “good cause” to
19 seal documents. Courts in this district have held that the good cause standard applies
20 even where the underlying dispute concerns so-called “apex” depositions of high-
21 level executives, as is the case here. See, e.g., BAE Sys. San Diego Ship Repair Inc.
22 v. United States, 670 F. Supp. 3d 1064, 1069 (S.D. Cal. 2023) (hereinafter “BAE
23 Systems”) (finding “good cause” to seal exhibits filed with motion for protective
24 order).
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1
BANA incorporates by reference its Motions to File Documents Under Seal (ECF
26 451) in connection with its Motion for a Protective Order (ECF 453), Plaintiffs’
Motion to File Documents Under Seal (ECF 463) in connection with Plaintiffs’
27 Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Protective Order (ECF 465), and BANA’s
Motion to File Documents Under Seal (ECF 470) in connection with its Reply in
28 Support of Motion for Protective Order (ECF 472).
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DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SEAL CASE NO. 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB Document 481 Filed 05/09/25 PageID.28875 Page
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1 Courts consistently seal documents where—as here—disclosure of the
2 confidential business information risks competitive harm to the litigant or improper
3 use of the information such as to commit fraud. E.g., E.W. Bank v. Shanker, 2021
4 WL 3112452, at *18–19 (N.D. Cal. July 22, 2021) (finding compelling reasons to
5 seal confidential onboarding processes, verification of customer identities, and fraud
6 prevention measures); Soria v. U.S. Bank N.A., 2019 WL 8167925, at *4 (C.D. Cal.
7 Apr. 25, 2019) (finding compelling reasons to seal internal fraud investigation
8 procedures because there was a “significant danger that someone could improperly
9 use this information to commit fraud and avoid detection.”). Indeed, this Court has
10 already found good cause to seal the documents and testimony that are summarized
11 in BANA’s Response. (See ECF 466, 467, 477.)
12 * * *
13 For the foregoing reasons and for the reasons set forth in the Court’s Sealing
14 Orders in connection with class certification briefing and argument (ECF 365, 381,
15 390, 391, 397, 421) and BANA’s Motion for Protective Order (ECF 466, 467, 477),
16 Plaintiffs’ Motions to Seal (ECF Nos. 376, 384, 394, 463, 475), BANA’s prior
17 Motions to Seal (ECF Nos. 328, 337, 344, 347, 383, 418, 451, 470) and
18 accompanying declarations submitted in support thereof (ECF Nos. 344-1, 344-2,
19 344-3, 347-1, 347-2), all of which are incorporated herein by reference, BANA
20 respectfully requests that the Court grant Defendant’s Motion to Seal portions of its
21 Response in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Ex Parte Motion for Leave to File Surreply to
22 Defendant’s Motion for a Protective Order because good cause supports sealing
23 thereof.
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Dated: May 9, 2025 Respectfully submitted,
25
By: s/ Matthew L. Riffee_________________
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SABRINA M. ROSE-SMITH (pro hac vice)
27 SRoseSmith@goodwinlaw.com
MATTHEW L. RIFFEE (pro hac vice)
28 MRiffee@goodwinlaw.com
2
DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SEAL CASE NO. 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB Document 481 Filed 05/09/25 PageID.28876 Page
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1 GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
1900 N St. NW
2 Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +1 202 346 4000
3 Fax: +1 202 346 4444
4 JAMES W. MCGARRY (pro hac vice)
JMcGarry@goodwinlaw.com
5 GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
100 Northern Avenue
6 Boston, MA 02210
Tel.: +1 617 570 1000
7 Fax: +1 617 523 1231
8 LAURA G. BRYS (SBN 242100)
LBrys@goodwinlaw.com
9 GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
601 S Figueroa St., Suite 4100
10 Los Angeles, CA 90017
Tel.: +1 213 426 2500
11 Fax: +1 617 346 4444
12 VALERIE A. HAGGANS (pro hac vice)
VHaggans@goodwinlaw.com
13 LINDSAY E. HOYLE (pro hac vice)
LHoyle@goodwinlaw.com
14 GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
620 Eighth Avenue
15 New York, NY 10018
Tel: +1 212 813-8800
16 Fax: +1 212 355-3333
17 YVONNE W. CHAN (pro hac vice)
YChan@jonesday.com
18 JONES DAY
100 High Street
19 Boston, MA 02110
Tel.: +1 617 960 3939
20 Fax: +1 617 449 6999
21 JANICE P. BROWN (SBN 114433)
jbrown@myersnave.com
22 MATTHEW B. NAZARETH (SBN
278405)
23 mnazareth@myersnave.com
MEYERS NAVE
24 600 B Street, Suite 1650
San Diego, CA 92101
25
Attorneys for Defendant
26 BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
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DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SEAL CASE NO. 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB Document 481 Filed 05/09/25 PageID.28877 Page
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1 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
2 I hereby certify that I electronically filed the foregoing with the clerk of the
3 court for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California by
4 using the CM/ECF system on May 9, 2025. I further certify that all participants in
5 the case are registered CM/ECF users and that service will be accomplished by the
6 CM/ECF system. I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and
7 correct.
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10 Executed: May 9, 2025 s/ Matthew L. Riffee
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DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SEAL CASE NO. 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB
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