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Home Court filings In re Plaid Inc. Privacy Litigation — N.D. Cal., No. 4:20-cv-03056-DMR REPLY (re 137 Notice of Motion and Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action… — P…

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REPLY (re 137 Notice of Motion and Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action… — Plaid Privacy (Dkt. 145)

No. 4:20-cv-03056-DMR · Doc. 145 · Docket on CourtListener

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     Case 4:20-cv-03056-DMR      Document 145   Filed 08/27/21      Page 1 of 5



 1    HERRERA KENNEDY LLP                       LIEFF CABRASER HEIMANN &
      Shawn M. Kennedy (SBN 218472)             BERNSTEIN, LLP
 2    skennedy@herrerakennedy.com               Michael W. Sobol (SBN 194857)
      Bret D. Hembd (SBN 272826)                msobol@lchb.com
 3    bhembd@herrerakennedy.com                 Melissa Gardner (SBN 289096)
      4590 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 500           mgardner@lchb.com
 4    Newport Beach, CA 92660                   275 Battery Street, 29th Floor
      Tel: (949) 936-0900                       San Francisco, CA 94111-3339
 5    Fax: (855) 969-2050                       Tel: (415) 956-1000
                                                Fax: (415) 956-1008
 6    HERRERA KENNEDY LLP
      Nicomedes Sy Herrera (SBN 275332)         BURNS CHAREST LLP
 7    nherrera@herrerakennedy.com               Warren T. Burns (Pro Hac Vice)
      Laura E. Seidl (SBN 269891)               wburns@burnscharest.com
 8    lseidl@herrerakennedy.com                 900 Jackson Street, Suite 500
      1300 Clay Street, Suite 600               Dallas, TX 75202
 9    Oakland, CA 94612                         Tel: (469) 904-4550
      Tel: (510) 422-4700                       Fax: (469) 444-5002
10    Fax: (855) 969-2050
                                                BURNS CHAREST LLP
11    LIEFF CABRASER HEIMANN &                  Christopher J. Cormier (Pro Hac Vice)
      BERNSTEIN, LLP                            ccormier@burnscharest.com
12    Rachel Geman (Pro Hac Vice)               4725 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 200
      rgeman@lchb.com                           Washington, DC 20016
13    250 Hudson Street, 8th Floor              Tel: (202) 577-3977
      New York, NY 10013-1413                   Fax: (469) 444-5002
14    Tel: (212) 355-9500
      Fax: (212) 355-9592
15

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17                           UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                            NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
18                                OAKLAND DIVISION

19    IN RE PLAID INC. PRIVACY                   Master Docket No.: 4:20-cv-03056-DMR
      LITIGATION
20                                               REPLY MEMORANDUM OF POINTS
                                                 AND AUTHORITIES ISO PLAINTIFFS’
21                                               MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY
      THIS DOCUMENT RELATES TO:                  APPROVAL OF CLASS ACTION
22    ALL ACTIONS                                SETTLEMENT

23                                               Date:      Sept. 30, 2021
                                                 Time:      1:00 p.m.
24                                               Courtroom: via videoconference only
                                                 Judge:     The Hon. Donna M. Ryu
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                                                      REPLY ISO MTN FOR PRELIM APP OF SETTLEMENT
     2297052.1
                                                                        CASE NO. 4:20-CV-03056-DMR
     Case 4:20-cv-03056-DMR               Document 145         Filed 08/27/21      Page 2 of 5



 1                            MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES

 2               Plaintiffs filed their Notice of Motion and Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class

 3   Action Settlement on August 6, 2021. Dkt. No. 137. On August 6, 2021, this Court set

 4   September 30, 2021, for the preliminary approval hearing. Dkt. No. 136.

 5               No opposition to Plaintiffs’ motion was filed.

 6               Now, consistent with Paragraph 6 of the Ninth Circuit’s Procedural Guidance for Class

 7   Action Settlements, Plaintiffs supplement their opening memorandum with information regarding

 8   fees and costs incurred up to the filing of the preliminary approval motion.1

 9               As previously indicated, and pursuant to this Circuit’s benchmarks, Plaintiffs will request

10   fees up to 25% of the settlement’s common fund as well as reimbursement of costs. Dkt. No. 137-

11   1 at 8. Although, if the settlement is approved, Plaintiffs will have obtained substantial injunctive

12   relief providing important benefits to the Class, the fee request will be tied only to the monetary

13   amount of the settlement in the interests of being conservative.

14               As of August 6, 2021, Plaintiffs’ counsel collectively—i.e., Co-Lead Counsel, Plaintiffs’

15   Steering Committee, and other counsel—had incurred $4,659,337.00 in lodestar, representing

16   5,884.7 hours of attorney and staff time. While this amount has not yet been audited and does not

17   account for the additional work that must be performed in the case, this generally encompasses,

18   among other things, the extensive pre-filing investigation, briefing of and argument on dispositive

19   motions and related motions, discovery, and intensive settlement negotiations. Bearing these

20   caveats in mind, Plaintiffs represent that a fee award constituting 25% of the common fund would

21   result in a 3.1 multiplier overall (with allocation between and among counsel to be determined by

22   Co-Lead Counsel in due course).

23               At the appropriate time, Plaintiffs will show that this multiplier is comfortably within the

24   accepted range in the Ninth Circuit. See, e.g., Vizcaino v. Microsoft Corp., 290 F.3d 1043, 1051

25   (9th Cir. 2002); Steiner v. Am. Broad. Co., 248 F. App’x 780, 782-83 (9th Cir. 2007) (upholding

26   fee award that represented a 6.85 multiplier where counsel obtained a $65 million fund for the

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     1
28    Specifically, the relevant date is August 6 for Lead Counsel, who have contributed the vast
     majority of the lodestar, and July 31 for all other counsel.
                                                                     REPLY ISO MTN FOR PRELIM APP OF SETTLEMENT
     2297052.1                                           -1-                           CASE NO. 4:20-CV-03056-DMR
     Case 4:20-cv-03056-DMR           Document 145          Filed 08/27/21      Page 3 of 5



 1   class and non-monetary benefits consisting of changes in licensing practices in a short timeframe

 2   and before substantive motion practice). Plaintiffs’ counsel also have incurred reasonable costs

 3   for standard expenditures such as the pre-filing investigation, filing, consultant costs, electronic

 4   discovery, and mediation. The present costs are approximately $81,291.39.

 5

 6    Dated: August 27, 2021                         Respectfully submitted,
 7
                                                     By: /s/ Rachel Geman
 8                                                       Rachel Geman
 9                                                        LIEFF CABRASER HEIMANN &
                                                          BERNSTEIN, LLP
10                                                        Rachel Geman (Pro Hac Vice)
                                                          rgeman@lchb.com
11                                                        250 Hudson Street, 8th Floor
                                                          New York, NY 10013-1413
12                                                        Tel: (212) 355-9500
                                                          Fax: (212) 355-9592
13
                                                          LIEFF CABRASER HEIMANN &
14                                                        BERNSTEIN, LLP
                                                          Michael W. Sobol (SBN 194857)
15                                                        msobol@lchb.com
                                                          Melissa Gardner (SBN 289096)
16                                                        mgardner@lchb.com
                                                          275 Battery Street, 29th Floor
17                                                        San Francisco, CA 94111-3339
                                                          Tel: (415) 956-1000
18                                                        Fax: (415) 956-1008
19

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                                                                  REPLY ISO MTN FOR PRELIM APP OF SETTLEMENT
     2297052.1                                        -2-                           CASE NO. 4:20-CV-03056-DMR
     Case 4:20-cv-03056-DMR   Document 145    Filed 08/27/21      Page 4 of 5



 1                                      HERRERA KENNEDY LLP

 2                                      By: /s/ Shawn Kennedy
                                            Shawn M. Kennedy
 3
                                             Shawn M. Kennedy (SBN 218472)
 4                                           skennedy@herrerakennedy.com
                                             Bret D. Hembd (SBN 272826)
 5                                           bhembd@herrerakennedy.com
                                             4590 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 500
 6                                           Newport Beach, CA 92660
                                             Telephone: (949) 936-0900
 7                                           Fax: (855) 969-2050

 8                                           HERRERA KENNEDY LLP
                                             Nicomedes Sy Herrera (SBN 275332)
 9                                           nherrera@herrerakennedy.com
                                             Laura E. Seidl (SBN 269891)
10                                           lseidl@herrerakennedy.com
                                             1300 Clay Street, Suite 600
11                                           Oakland, CA 94612
                                             Telephone: (510) 422-4700
12                                           Fax: (855) 969-2050

13
                                        BURNS CHAREST LLP
14
                                        By: /s/ Christopher Cormier
15                                          Christopher J. Cormier

16                                           Christopher J. Cormier (Pro Hac Vice)
                                             ccormier@burnscharest.com
17                                           4725 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
                                             Washington, DC 20016
18                                           Tel: (202) 577-3977
                                             Fax: (469) 444-5002
19
                                             BURNS CHAREST LLP
20                                           Warren T. Burns (Pro Hac Vice)
                                             wburns@burnscharest.com
21                                           900 Jackson Street, Suite 500
                                             Dallas, TX 75202
22                                           Tel: (469) 904-4550
                                             Fax: (469) 444-5002
23
                                             Interim Co-Lead Class Counsel
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                                                    REPLY ISO MTN FOR PRELIM APP OF SETTLEMENT
     2297052.1                          -3-                           CASE NO. 4:20-CV-03056-DMR
     Case 4:20-cv-03056-DMR              Document 145        Filed 08/27/21     Page 5 of 5



 1                                       CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

 2               On August 27, 2021, I electronically submitted the foregoing document with the clerk of

 3   the court for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, using the electronic

 4   case filing system. I hereby certify that I have provided copies to all counsel of record

 5   electronically or by another manner authorized by Fed. R. Civ. P. 5(b)(2).

 6
     Dated: August 27, 2021                                  By: /s/ Rachel Geman
 7                                                                   Rachel Geman
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                                                                  REPLY ISO MTN FOR PRELIM APP OF SETTLEMENT
     2297052.1                                         -4-                          CASE NO. 4:20-CV-03056-DMR


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