Smith, Gambrell & Russell $2.4M Data Breach Settlement

If you received a notice that your personal information was accessed, compromised, or impacted in a data breach announced by Smith, Gambrell & Russell International LLP (SGR), you may be eligible to claim up to $7,500 from a class action settlement.

Smith, Gambrell & Russell International LLP has agreed to pay $2.40 million to settle a class action lawsuit for alleged failures to safeguard personal information, which resulted in a data breach that occurred between July 19 and July 28, 2021.

Who can file a claim for a data breach payout?

You are a class member if:

You reside in the United States and received a notice of the SGR Data Breach, which was sent on or around January 13, 2023.

How much is the class action settlement payment?

Class members have the following benefit options:

• Payment for Lost Time: Class members may claim up to 5 hours of lost time at $25 per hour, for time spent time addressing issues related to the data breach, up to a total of $125.
• Credit Monitoring: You can claim three years of three-bureau credit monitoring services, including up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
• Unreimbursed Out-of-Pocket Expenses: You can submit for up to $2,500 for unreimbursed expenses related to the data breach. Eligible expenses include costs for purchasing credit monitoring, placing security freezes, or other fees.
• Documented Extraordinary Losses: Class members that experienced identity theft losses or unreimbursed fraudulent charges traceable to the data breach may claim up to $7,500 with supporting documentation.
• CCPA Payment: If you were a California resident at any time between April 9, 2021, and August 9, 2021, you may submit for an additional $150 under the California Consumer Privacy Act.
• Alternative Cash Payment: Class members that do not submit for Lost Time, Out-of-Pocket expenses, or Extraordinary Losses, can submit a claim for a $75 alternative cash payment.
• California residents may claim both the $75 alternative payment and the $150 CCPA payment.

How to claim a data breach class action rebate

To claim a settlement payment, class members must submit a claim by the deadline of July 5, 2025. There are two ways to file:

• You can file a claim online through the settlement website.
• You can download and print the PDF claim form, fill it out, and mail it to the Settlement Administrator.

Settlement Administrator's mailing address: SGR Data Breach Litigation Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 6509, Portland, OR 97228-6509

Required proof and information

• Unique ID from notice required to submit a claim online.
• Out-of-Pocket Expenses and Extraordinary Losses claims requiring supporting documentation such as:
• Receipts for services
• Bank or credit card statements
• Police report and other proof of fraudulent charges related to the data incident

Payout methods

Approved claimants will receive a paper check mailed to the address provided on the claim form.

$2.40 Million data breach settlement fund

The settlement fund of $2,400,000 million will cover these payments:

• Settlement administration costs: Amount not specified, but included in the $2.40 million cap.
• Attorneys' fees: Up to $840,000
• Attorneys' expenses: Up to $30,000
• Service awards to class representatives: Not to exceed $5,000 each
• Credit monitoring services: Cost determined by the number of claims submitted
• Payments to approved claimants: Remainder of the settlement fund

Important settlement dates

• Deadline to Exclude Yourself from the Settlement: June 5, 2025
• Deadline to File a Claim: July 5, 2025
• Final Approval Hearing: August 1, 2025

When is the SGR data breach settlement payment date?

The court has scheduled the final to take place on August 1, 2025. Payments will be issued to class members with valid claims after the court grants approval and processing is complete.

Why did this class action lawsuit and settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit was filed after Smith, Gambrell & Russell International LLP detected unauthorized file transfer activity in July 2021, which resulted in a data breach. Plaintiffs alleged that SGR failed to adequately protect personal information.

SGR denies any wrongdoing, but agreed to settle to avoid the costs of continued litigation and to provide benefits to impacted individuals.

Sources

1. Official Settlement Website FAQ Page
2. Official Class Notice
3. Official Claim Form