Benedict Hur

Benedict Hur, as the co-managing partner of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP’s San Francisco office, is a leading figure in high-stakes privacy and class action litigation. Among his notable cases, Hur represents Google in several significant privacy class actions, reflecting his deep understanding of the intersection between technology and privacy law.

In his representation of Google, Hur has demonstrated his legal acumen in handling complex litigation involving sensitive data collection allegations. He has successfully navigated the intricacies of these cases, including defeating a critical motion for a preliminary injunction in the Doe I and II cases.

“In the case of Doe v. Google, we stand against class action plaintiffs aiming to impede U.S. health care providers from utilizing a widely-used analytics product,” Hur said. “This litigation is part of a broader landscape where third-party analytics providers, including Google, face wiretap and invasion of privacy allegations for processing data on websites and apps.”

Hur continued: “After preparing extensive briefs and presenting compelling evidence, we successfully thwarted a motion for a preliminary injunction on behalf of Google. This victory allowed our client to continue providing crucial analytics services to U.S. health care provider websites.

He also secured the dismissal of a putative class action against Google, relating to the retention of users’ personally identifiable video rental history on various streaming platforms, in a decision that clarifies the scope of key video privacy statutes. Burke Minahan, et al., v. Google LLC, 22-cv-5652-YGR (N.D. Cal., filed Sept. 30, 2022).

Moreover, Hur’s involvement in cases following concerns raised by Elizabeth Warren about tax preparers using analytics technologies highlights his capacity to address legal issues at the forefront of public and political discourse. His work in these class action cases against Google and other analytics providers is indicative of his expertise in handling high-profile, impactful litigation.

Hur’s successful litigation strategies are not just confined to the courtroom. As a leader in the legal community, he actively contributes to promoting justice and equality. His roles with the California Asian Pacific American Bar Association and Coro Northern California illustrate his commitment to fostering a diverse legal profession and training future leaders.

When asked about trends in the field, Hur said, “A notable trend involves technology companies confronting privacy claims that seek substantial statutory penalties, often lacking a tangible theory of actual harm or data misuse. This incongruity introduces unpredictability and underscores the need for legislative and judicial attention.”