Consilio Violates Woman's Privacy and Faces Justice
- A jury determined that Consilio accessed Angelyn Olson's computer without her effective consent, violating a Texas criminal statute.
- The e-discovery firm was found negligent for downloading and destroying sensitive information, including emails with medical and financial details.
- This verdict highlights significant concerns about privacy violations by e-discovery firms and sets a precedent for future cases.
In a Fort Worth court, a jury reached a verdict that Washington, D.C.-based Consilio unlawfully accessed the computer of Angelyn Olson, leading to a breach of her privacy. The incident involved a case where Consilio was hired to conduct e-discovery in which Olson was a participant. Although her lawyers consented to a limited search of her email, the firm downloaded ten years of her emails, which included sensitive information. Upon realizing the breach, Consilio not only failed to secure the data but also destroyed the emails, leaving Olson's legal representation without a means to verify the content. This unlawful action led the jury to find Consilio negligent, awarding $50,000 in damages for the breach. Despite Consilio's claims of following 'best practices,' evidence revealed another firm managed to comply with the legal search terms, underscoring the negligence on Consilio's part.