Littler Mendelson, a Biglaw firm, has sued a former associate, Uliana Kozeychuk, for downloading over 7,900 documents, including proprietary and client data, to an external Dropbox. At the same time, on Family Medical Leave Act leave in February 2023. Kozeychuk denied the allegations, claiming the downloads were “exclusively personal in nature,” and accused Littler of using legal maneuvers to distract from her complaints of “abuse” by Littler shareholders, posting about the case on social media with the hashtag #TimesUpLittler.
However, an in-camera review of Kozeychuk’s documents in her Dropbox, Gmail, and other accounts from July 1, 2022, through February 28, 2023, revealed confidential firm material. Texas Associate Judge Tahira Merritt ordered a third-party company, TransPerfect, to “immediately segregate these [confidential] documents and deliver them to counsel for Littler” and that Kozeychuk “shall not maintain any copies of the confidential information.” The exact amount of confidential information found in Kozeychuk’s possession is unknown.
In response to the discovery, Kozeychuk told Law360 that she has reached out to the judge and counsel to obtain information on which documents the order is referencing so that she can provide her position on whether they are confidential. She claimed that she is not aware of any confidential documents being present in any of her accounts and is shocked by the court’s claim that she does.
Littler expressed satisfaction with the ruling, saying that their sole focus in the case has been to protect client and firm confidential information. In a statement, the firm said that Judge Merritt’s interim review of a portion of the documents identified many as confidential information of the firm and its clients, as asserted by Littler. The firm’s counsel, Michele Naudin of Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann LLP, said there is potentially more confidential information in Kozeychuk’s possession, as Judge Merritt limited the scope of her review and did not examine all 10,000 documents that Littler identified as having been uploaded and removed from Littler systems.
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The case is ongoing, and the remainder of the issues to be resolved are the subject of Littler’s application for a temporary injunction. If the court grants the injunction, all documents will be preserved and reviewed by independent licensed forensic professionals, and Kozeychuk will no longer have access to confidential information. The legal dispute between Littler and Kozeychuk appears unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.
In conclusion, Littler Mendelson has taken legal action against a former associate, Uliana Kozeychuk, for allegedly downloading confidential documents to an external Dropbox. At the same time, on Family Medical Leave Act leave in February 2023. Kozeychuk denies the allegations, but an in-camera review of her documents revealed confidential firm material. Texas Associate Judge Tahira Merritt has ordered the immediate segregation of confidential documents and that Kozeychuk should not maintain any copies. The case is ongoing, and the remainder of the issues will be resolved through Littler’s application for a temporary injunction.