1. What is the notice, and why did I get it?
2. What is this lawsuit about?
3. Why is this a class action?
4. Why is there a settlement?
5. How do I know if I am part of the Settlement?
6. What does the Settlement provide?
7. How will the Settlement help me protect against future fraud?
8. How do I file a claim for Credit Monitoring, Documented Out-of-Pocket Expenses, or Attested Lost Time?
9. How will claims be decided?
10. When will I get my payment?
11. What am I giving up as part of the Settlement?
12. Do I have a lawyer in the case?
13. Should I get my own lawyer?
14. Will the Settlement Class Representatives receive additional money?
15. How do I opt out of the Settlement?
16. How do I tell the Court if I like or do not like the Settlement?
17. How do I get more information?
A Court authorized the Notice to inform you how you may be affected by this proposed Settlement. The Notice describes the lawsuit, the general terms of the proposed Settlement and what it may mean to you. The Notice also explains how to participate in, or exclude yourself from, the Settlement if your information was potentially involved in the cybersecurity Incident.
For information on how to determine if you are a Settlement Class Member, and therefore eligible for benefits under this Settlement, see Question 5.
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This lawsuit involves claims that Defendant is responsible for a cybersecurity incident where an unauthorized actor gained access to Skidmore’s network, deployed ransomware, and obtained unauthorized access to Skidmore’s files system that was the subject of notices provided by Defendant in or around September 15, 2023 (the “Incident”).
Defendant denies these claims and any wrongdoing. No court or other judicial entity has made any judgment or other determination of any wrongdoing by any Defendant.
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In a class action, one or more people called "class representatives" sue on behalf of themselves and other people with similar claims. All of these people together are the "Class" or "Class Members." Because this is a class action settlement, even persons who did not file their own lawsuit can obtain benefits provided under the Settlement, except for those individuals who exclude themselves from the Settlement class by the deadline.
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The Court has not decided in favor of Plaintiffs or Defendant. Instead, both sides agreed to a settlement after arms-length settlement negotiations. Settlements avoid the costs and uncertainty of a trial and related appeals, while more quickly providing benefits to members of the settlement class. The class representatives appointed to represent the class and the attorneys for the settlement class ("Class Counsel," see Question 13) believe that the settlement is in the best interests of the Settlement Class Members.
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You are a Settlement Class Member if you reside in the United States and were notified in or around September 15, 2023, via either written or substitute notice, that your Private Information was potentially compromised as a result of the Incident discovered by Skidmore in February 2023.
If you are not sure whether you are included in the settlement, you may contact the Settlement Administrator at 1-833-296-0880, by email info@SkidmoreSettlement.com, or by writing to Skidmore Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 26170, Santa Ana, CA 92799 with questions.
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The Settlement provides:
Compensation for Attested Lost Time addressing issues related to the cybersecurity Incident;
Compensation for unreimbursed, Documented Out-of-Pocket Expenses;
Two years of credit monitoring (see Question 7);
Payment of costs of notifying Settlement Class Members and administering the Settlement; and
Payment of Attorneys' Fees, costs, expenses, and service awards as approved by the Court (see Question 14).
Settlement Benefit: Reimbursement for Attested Lost Time: Settlement Class Members who spent time researching or remedying issues related to the cybersecurity Incident or for any actions that were taken in response to receiving a Notice of Security Incident from Defendant can make a claim for reimbursement for up to 4 hours of time at a rate of $20.00/hour, but only if at least one (1) full hour was spent dealing with the Incident. Settlement Class Members may also seek reimbursement for up to four (4) additional hours if sufficiently documented (calculated at the rate of $20 per hour).
To claim reimbursement for up to 4 hours of Attested Lost Time, you must represent that the time and/or effort spent was incurred as a result of the cybersecurity Incident.
If you received substitute notice of the cybersecurity Incident (i.e., if you believe your personal information was involved in the cybersecurity Incident but you did not receive written notice from Defendant in or around September 15, 2023), you must also submit non-self-prepared documentation demonstrating that you were a student, former employee, or applicant of Defendant before February 15, 2023.
Settlement Benefit: Payment for Documented Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Settlement Class Members that have Documented Out-of-Pocket Expenses as a result of the cybersecurity Incident can make a claim for reimbursement for up to $3,500.00. Out-of-Pocket Expenses that are eligible for reimbursement include the following: (i) unreimbursed bank or credit card fees; (ii) long distance phone charges (only if charged by the minute); (iii) long distance or cell phone charges (only if charged by the minute); (iv) data charges (only if charged based on the amount of data used); (v) postage; (vi) gasoline for local travel; and/or (vii) credit monitoring or other identity theft monitoring purchased by Settlement Class Members between February 15, 2023 and May 12, 2025.
To claim reimbursement for Documented Out-of-Pocket Expenses, you must submit documentation supporting this claim, including, but not limited to credit card statements, bank statements, invoices, telephone records, and receipts.
If you received substitute notice of the cybersecurity Incident (i.e., if you believe your personal information was involved in the cybersecurity Incident but you did not receive written notice from Defendant in or around September 15, 2023), you must also submit non-self-prepared documentation demonstrating that you were a student, former employee, or applicant of Defendant before February 15, 2023.
Settlement Benefit: Credit Monitoring: You can submit a claim for two years of credit monitoring protection. If you received substitute notice of the cybersecurity Incident (i.e., if you believe your personal information was involved in the cybersecurity Incident but you did not receive written notice from Defendant in or around September 15, 2023), you must also submit non-self-prepared documentation demonstrating that you were a student, former employee, or applicant of Defendant before February 15, 2023.
The Settlement Administrator will decide if your claim is valid. Only valid claims will be paid/approved. The deadline to file a claim for Attested Lost Time, Documented Out-of-Pocket Expenses, and/or Credit Monitoring is August 11, 2025. The amount of your claim may be reduced or increased depending on the total amount of claims (see Question 8).
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Settlement Class Members can submit a claim for two years of credit monitoring protection. If you received substitute notice of the cybersecurity Incident (i.e., if you believe your personal information was involved in the cybersecurity Incident but you did not receive written notice from Defendant in or around September 15, 2023), you must also submit non-self-prepared documentation demonstrating that you were a student, former employee, or applicant of Defendant before February 15, 2023.
The deadline to file a claim for Credit Monitoring is August 11, 2025. If you submit a valid Claim Form and elect to enroll in Credit Monitoring, you will receive enrollment instructions by email after the settlement is final.
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To file a claim for credit monitoring, reimbursement for Attested Lost Time, or Documented Out-of-Pocket Expenses, you will either need to file a claim form online with your Unique ID, which can be found on the postcard notice or by contacting the Settlement Administrator, or by mail.
If you received substitute notice of the cybersecurity Incident (i.e., if you believe your personal information was involved in the cybersecurity Incident but you did not receive written notice from Defendant in or around September 15, 2023), you do not need a Unique ID, but to file a claim for credit monitoring, reimbursement for Attested Lost Time, or Documented Out-of-Pocket Expenses, you must submit non-self-prepared documentation demonstrating that you were a student, former employee, or applicant of Defendant before February 15, 2023.
The easiest way to submit a claim form is online. You can also download a paper claim form here and return a completed claim form by mail addressed to:
Skidmore Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
The deadline to file a claim is August 11, 2025 (this is the last day to file online and the postmark deadline for mailed claims).
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The Settlement Administrator will decide whether the information provided on each Claim Form is complete and valid. The Settlement Administrator may require additional information. If you do not provide the additional information in a timely manner the claim will be considered invalid and will not be paid.
Approved Claims are those submitted in a timely manner and found to be valid by and in an amount approved by the Settlement Administrator.
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The Court will hold a hearing on August 11, 2025, to decide whether to approve the Settlement Agreement. If the Court approves the Settlement Agreement, there may still be appeals. It is always uncertain whether these appeals can be resolved, and resolving them can take time, perhaps more than a year. Please be patient.
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If you make a claim under the Settlement, or if you do nothing, you will be releasing all of your claims relating to the cybersecurity Incident against Defendant and any Released Parties when the Settlement becomes final. By releasing your legal claims, you are giving up the right to file, or to continue to pursue, separate legal claims against or seek further compensation from Defendant or any Released Parties for any harm related to the cybersecurity Incident or the claims alleged in the lawsuits—whether or not you are currently aware of those claims.
Unless you exclude yourself from the Settlement (see Question 15), all of the decisions by the Court will bind you. That means you will be bound to the terms of the Settlement and accompanying court orders, and cannot bring a lawsuit or be part of another lawsuit against Defendant or any Released Parties regarding the cybersecurity Incident.
Paragraph 6 of the Settlement Agreement defines the claims and parties that will be released by Settlement Class Members who do not exclude themselves from the Settlement. You can access the Settlement Agreement and read the specific details of the legal claims being released here.
If you have any questions, you can contact the Settlement Administrator (see Question 17).
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Yes. The Court appointed William B. Federman of Federman & Sherwood, Philip J. Krzeski of Chestnut Cambronne PA, and John J. Nelson of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC as Interim Co-Lead Class Counsel. You will not be charged by these lawyers for their work on this case. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.
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Class Counsel has undertaken this case on a contingency fee basis, meaning they have paid for all of the expenses in the case and have not been paid any money in relation to their work on this case. Accordingly, Class Counsel will ask the Court to award them Attorneys' Fees, costs, and expenses. The Court will decide the amount of fees and costs and expenses to be paid. You will not have to separately pay any portion of these fees yourself. Class Counsels' request for Attorneys' Fees and Costs (which must be approved by the Court) will be filed by July 28, 2025, and will be available to view on the Important Documents page.
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Subject to Court approval, Class Counsel will file a motion for approval of a service award in the amount of $2,000 to the named Plaintiffs (for a total payment of $4,000).
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If you are a member of the Settlement Class, you may exclude yourself from the Settlement (also known as "opting out"). If you exclude yourself, you will lose any right to participate in the Settlement, including any right to receive the benefits outlined in the notice.
If you decide on this option, you may keep any rights you have, if any, against Defendant, and you may file your own lawsuit against Defendant based upon the same legal claims that are asserted in this lawsuit, but you will need to find your own attorney at your own cost to represent you in that lawsuit. If you are considering this option, you may want to consult an attorney to determine your options.
IMPORTANT: You will be bound by the terms of the Settlement Agreement unless you submit a timely and signed written request to be excluded from the Settlement. To exclude yourself from the Settlement you must do so online by July 11, 2025, or mail by July 11, 2025, or mail a "request for exclusion," postmarked no later than July 11, 2025, to:
Skidmore Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
The statement must contain the following information:
Identify the case name of the Litigation;
Identify the name and address of the individual seeking exclusion from the Settlement;
Be personally signed by the individual seeking exclusion (or his/her parent or legal guardian, if a minor child);
Include a statement clearly indicating the individual's intent to be excluded from the Settlement; and
Request exclusion only for that one individual whose personal signature appears on the request (or, in the case of a minor, the personal signature of the minor's parent or legal guardian appears on the request).
If you do not comply with these procedures and the deadline for exclusions, you will lose any opportunity to exclude yourself from the Settlement, and your rights will be determined in this lawsuit by the Settlement Agreement if it is approved by the Court.
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If you are a Settlement Class Member, you have the right to tell the Court what you think of the Settlement. You can object to the Settlement if you don't think it is fair, reasonable, or adequate, and you can give reasons why you think the Court should not approve it. You can't ask the Court to order a larger settlement; the Court can only approve or deny the Settlement as it is.
To object, you must send a written objection stating that you object to the Settlement. Your objection must include:
The case name and number of the Litigation;
The name, address, and telephone number of the objecting Settlement Class Member and, if represented by counsel, of his/her counsel;
A statement of whether the objection applies only to the objector, to a specific subset of the class, or to the entire class;
A statement of the number of times in which the objector (and, where applicable, objector's counsel) has objected to a class action settlement within the three years preceding the date that the objector files the objection, along with the caption of each case in which the objector has made such objection;
A statement of the specific grounds for the objection; and
A statement of whether the objecting Settlement Class Member intends to appear at the Final Approval Hearing, and if so, whether personally or through counsel.
In addition to the foregoing requirements, if an objecting Settlement Class Member intends to speak at the Final Approval Hearing (whether pro se or through an attorney), the written objection must include a detailed description of any evidence the objecting Settlement Class Member may offer at the Final Approval Hearing, as well as copies of any exhibits the objecting Settlement Class Member may introduce at the Final Approval Hearing.
To be considered by the Court, your written objection must be filed electronically with the Court by July 11, 2025, or mailed, postmarked no later than July 11, 2025, to the following addresses:
COURT | DEFENDANT'S COUNSEL | LEAD CLASS COUNSEL |
U.S. District Court | BAKER & HOSTETLER LLP | FEDERMAN & SHERWOOD |
If you do not comply with these procedures and the deadline for objections, you may lose any opportunity to have your objection considered at the Final Approval Hearing or otherwise to contest the approval of the settlement or to appeal from any orders or judgments entered by the Court in connection with the proposed settlement. You will still be eligible to receive settlement benefits if the settlement becomes final even if you object to the settlement.
The Court has scheduled a Final Approval Hearing to listen to and consider any concerns or objections from Settlement Class Members regarding the fairness, adequacy, and reasonableness of the terms of the Settlement Agreement. That hearing is currently scheduled to take place on August 11, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. E.T. before the Honorable Mae Avila D'Agostino, at the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York located at the James M. Hanley Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, 100 S. Clinton St., Syracuse, NY 13261. This hearing date and time may be moved and/or held remotely. Please refer to this website for notice of any changes.
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If you have questions about this website, the Notice or the Settlement, read these FAQs and Important Documents or call 833-296-0880. You can also contact the Settlement Administrator by mailing a letter to the Settlement Administrator, Skidmore Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 26170, Santa Ana, CA 92799, for more information or to request that a copy of this document be sent to you in the mail. If you wish to communicate directly with Class Counsel, you may contact them. You may also seek advice and guidance from your own private lawyer at your own expense if you wish to do so.
This website and the Notice are only a summary of the lawsuit and the Settlement. Other related documents can be accessed through the Important Documents. If you have questions about the proposed Settlement or wish to receive a copy of the Settlement Agreement but do not have access to the Internet to download a copy online, you may contact the Settlement Administrator. The Court cannot respond to any questions regarding the notice, the lawsuit, or the proposed settlement.
Please do not contact the Court, its Clerks, or Defendant.
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