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Am Law 100 firm with practices in Business, Digital Assets and Data Management, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Litigation and Tax.

Home | BakerHostetler

Syria Sanctions Eased:  What is the Impact on Your Business?

BakerHostetler Life Sciences Industry Team Hosts Reception at BIO International Convention

Sharnell Bostick Named to LEAD Atlanta Class of 2026

BakerHostetler IP Group Has Strong Showing in 2025 IAM Patent 1000 Guide

Paul has significant experience defending class actions in the complex and cutting-edge area of data privacy on behalf of companies and organizations in a variety of industries. He has served as lead counsel for defendants in class action litigation arising out of data breach incidents of all sizes, and affecting numerous industries and governmental entities. He also defends clients in other privacy class actions arising out of corporate digital advertising and customer data collection practices, as well as class actions seeking the recovery of statutory damages.

Recognized by Chambers USA in Litigation, Paul was named a Law360 Privacy MVP (2014 and 2015) and a National Law Journal “CyberSecurity &amp; Data Privacy Trailblazer.” Paul is also a frequent speaker and commentator on class action law and privacy litigation.

core/freeform

J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 1997

B.S., Purdue University, 1993

<ul>
<li>The Am Law Litigation Daily: Member of team that received a Litigator of the Week Shout-out (May 9, 2025)</li>
<li>The Legal 500 United States
<ul>
<li>Recommended in Media, Technology and Telecoms: Cyber Law (including data privacy and data protection) (2024)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>BTI Client Service All-Star (2022)</li>
<li>Chambers USA
<ul>
<li>Privacy and Data Security: Litigation, Nationwide
<ul>
<li>Band 3 (2024)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Chambers Global
<ul>
<li>Privacy &amp; Data Security: Litigation
<ul>
<li>Band 3 (2025)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Litigation: General Commercial in Colorado
<ul>
<li>Band 4 (2016 to 2023), Recognized Practitioner (2014 to 2015)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Best Lawyers in America®
<ul>
<li>Colorado: Commercial Litigation (2021 to 2025)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Law360 Privacy MVP (2014 to 2015)</li>
<li>National Law Journal: &#8220;CyberSecurity &amp; Data Privacy Trailblazer&#8221; (2015)</li>
<li>Colorado Super Lawyers
<ul>
<li>“Super Lawyer” (2011 to 2021, 2023 to 2024)</li>
<li>“Rising Star” (2009 to 2010)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Law Week Colorado (2013)
<ul>
<li>People&#8217;s Choice: Best Class Action/Mass Torts – Defense</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Denver

Seattle

BakerHostetler Trio Defeats Putative Class Action, Garners Am Law Litigation Daily Litigator of the Week Shout Out

Paul Karlsgodt, Lynn Sessions Speak at Crum & Forster’s 4th Annual Cyber Symposium

Paul Karlsgodt Attends The Perfect Law: Global Class Actions and Mass Torts Conference, Chairs Panel

BakerHostetler Expands International Recognition with 2025 Rankings from Chambers Global

Paul Karlsgodt Speaks at NetDiligence Cyber Risk Summit

BakerHostetler Secures Victory for Prisma Health in Privacy Class Action

Paul Karlsgodt Speaks at European Class Actions Forum 2024

BakerHostetler attorneys, practice areas stand out in The Legal 500 annual guide

Paul Karlsgodt Chairs Panel Discussion at Perfect Law Class Action Global Conference

Chambers USA Guide 2024 Recognizes 155 BakerHostetler Attorneys and ­66 Practice Areas

Lynn Sessions, Paul Karlsgodt Present at American Hospital Association CCO 2024 Spring Roundtable

BakerHostetler Trial Team Scores Precedent-Setting Win, Earns Litigator of the Week Shout-Out for Unconstitutional Search Case

Paul Karlsgodt Participates in Panel on Class Actions at Trial Lawyers of Mass Torts Event

Companies must lower legal risks amid growing litigation over AI

‘Tsunami’ of privacy litigation is bearing down on organizations using tracking tech

Paul Karlsgodt says health systems should remove internet tracking, analytics to avoid lawsuits

Chambers USA Guide 2023 Honors 147 BakerHostetler Attorneys and Recognizes 64 Practice Areas

Paul Karlsgodt Chairs Panel at Global Class Action and Mass Torts Conference

BakerHostetler Team Earns Litigator of the Week Shout Out

Paul Karlsgodt and Lynn Sessions Take Part in Program on Pixels as Cyberthreat

Class Action Defense  2022 Year In Review Webinar

Lynn Sessions and Paul Karlsgodt Talk All Things Pixel

Paul Karlsgodt Discusses Strategy at Global Class Actions Symposium

Paul Karlsgodt Shares Best Practices for Generating Class-Action Business

Karl Fanter, Bethany Lukitsch, Paul Karlsgodt, Julie Singer Brady Quoted in Legal Newsline Article on Class Action Defense Webinar

2022 Class Action Update

Hundreds of BakerHostetler Attorneys Honored as 2023 Best Lawyers, Ones to Watch and Lawyers of the Year

Paul Karlsgodt Moderates Panel on Big Data Class Actions

Chambers USA Guide 2022 Honors 145 BakerHostetler Attorneys and Recognizes 62 Practice Areas

Class Action Year in Review – 2021

Data Counsel

Leveling Up: Advertising to Children Through Video Games

Nine BakerHostetler Attorneys Named 2022 BTI Client Service All-Stars

Look Back, Look Ahead: Advertising and Marketing Law in 2021 & 2022

Webinar: Class Action Defense 2021 Year In Review Webinar

Paul Karlsgodt a Speaker at Global Class Actions Symposium

FTC Puts 700+ Companies on Notice to Expect to Pay Penalties for Any Endorsement Violations

Paul Karlsgodt Joins Podcast to Discuss Internet Communications and Wiretapping Class Actions

191 BakerHostetler Attorneys Named in 2022 “Best Lawyers” List; 10 Recognized as “Lawyer of the Year”

Paul Karlsgodt Comments on Supreme Court Ruling on “TransUnion v. Ramirez”

Paul Karlsgodt Leads Session on Global Strategy at Class Action Symposium

Chambers and Partners USA Honors 127 Attorneys and 43 Practice Areas in 2019 Guide

Chambers and Partners USA Honors 118 Attorneys and 45 Practice Areas in 2018 Guide

150 BakerHostetler Attorneys Named 2016 Super Lawyers; 91 Named Rising Stars

Digital Assets and Data Management

Advertising, Marketing and Digital Media

Commercial Litigation

Class Action Defense

Class Action Defense – Insurance

Industries

Financial Services: Litigation

Healthcare

Privacy and Digital Risk Class Action and Litigation

Multidistrict Litigation

<ul>
<li>Leading a nationwide team of BakerHostetler lawyers representing more than 60 hospital systems and other healthcare clients throughout the U.S. in defending against privacy class actions arising out of the alleged use of web tracking technologies.</li>
<li>Defended Excellus BlueCross in data breach class action affecting approximately 10 million individuals. Led a team that defeated plaintiffs’ motion for class certification over all claims for damages, allowing only an injunctive relief class to go forward.</li>
<li>Obtained summary judgment for online retailer Harriet Carter Gifts in a wiretapping and invasion of privacy purported class action alleging that the company illegally “intercepted” customers’ private information without consent through the use of a third-party web browser cookies on its website.</li>
<li>Has served as lead defense counsel in class actions arising from many of the largest healthcare and payment card breaches in history, as well as in various other healthcare breach class actions arising out of hacking, theft and inadvertent disclosure.</li>
<li>Defended a large healthcare organization in 12 class actions in Illinois state and federal courts arising out of the theft of computers alleged to have contained patient information for more than 4 million patients. Motions to dismiss all the lawsuits were granted. The dismissals were with prejudice in all but one of the cases.</li>
<li>Represented a fast-casual restaurant chain in a series of data breach class actions brought on behalf of a putative class of financial institutions seeking to recover financial losses stemming from the merchant’s alleged negligence in failing to prevent a payment card system breach. In a precedent-setting ruling, the team secured a dismissal, which will have implications for contractual agreements between merchants and banks issuing debit and credit cards going forward.</li>
<li>Led the successful defense of a class action lawsuit against a nationwide retailer alleging violation of privacy rights stemming from the alleged transfer of browser history information to a social media company, successfully arguing for dismissal before the trial court. Later argued the appeal of the district court’s judgment before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, resulting in a published opinion affirming the trial court’s judgment of dismissal with prejudice.</li>
<li>Led a cross-office team in the successful defense of a California hospital in one of the largest data breach class actions ever filed under the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act. Client initially faced more than $500 million in potential statutory damages exposure, but ultimately prevailed in all aspects of the case, which was finally dismissed by the plaintiff with no payment by the defendant.</li>
<li>Coordinated defense in Missouri and Illinois state and federal courts in multidistrict litigation against a grocery store chain arising out of a payment card data breach. The case was ultimately resolved by a nationwide settlement, which was finally approved over the significant efforts of objectors to block it.</li>
<li>Capitalizing on experience in the courtroom, obtained a denial of class certification after serving as lead counsel in a multiday evidentiary hearing in a consumer class action involving the sale of uninsured motorist insurance coverage.</li>
<li>Played a central role in a nationwide class action against a telecommunications company, mitigating the effects of discovery sanctions that had been imposed against the client prior to retaining BakerHostetler. The cutting-edge electronic discovery case was ultimately settled favorably for the client.</li>
<li>As lead counsel for an insurer in a putative class action in California involving auto body shop labor rate surveys and direct repair programs, obtained an order granting judgment on the pleadings and was able to settle the case on an individual basis while an appeal of that judgment was pending.</li>
<li>Obtained an order denying class certification in a putative class action against an insurer involving demands for reimbursement of medical payment benefits. Settled the case on an individual basis during an appeal of that order.</li>
<li>Resolved the individual claims in several threatened class actions involving communication privacy issues, due to his willingness to connect with the plaintiffs’ counsel before the cases were filed. Avoided millions of dollars of potential exposure at a significantly lower cost to multiple clients.</li>
</ul>

Paul G. Karlsgodt

Paul G. Karlsgodt

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