Scott Hall is co-chair of the Litigation practice and leads the Cybersecurity & Data Privacy group. He advises a wide range of clients on data privacy and cybersecurity issues, including in connection with regulatory compliance and business transactions and in response to data breaches. He has been certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) as a Certified Information Privacy Professional for U.S. laws and regulations (CIPP/US).
Scott also practices complex civil litigation in federal and state court at the trial and appellate levels. He has broad experience in a wide range of commercial litigation, including consumer class actions, general business disputes, trademark and copyright infringement actions, and in defending claims brought under various federal and state statutes, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and California Proposition 65. He has conducted numerous internal investigations on behalf of audit and special committees in connection with inquiries and proceedings by law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Scott’s clients include companies in the advertising, financial, food and beverage, electronics, entertainment, technology, and telecommunications industries.
He is a frequent author and speaker on privacy and cybersecurity-related topics, including the California Consumer Privacy Act, data breach response and data security, and privacy issues related to drone law.
Prior to joining Coblentz, Scott practiced litigation at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in Silicon Valley. He served as a law clerk to the Honorable William W Schwarzer of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, sitting by designation on the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the First, Third, Sixth and Ninth Circuits.
Scott is a member of the State Bar of California and the Bar Association of San Francisco. He is admitted to practice in all federal districts in California, as well as before the Fifth, Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
He earned his law degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he served as an Executive Editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. Scott received his B.A. in Political Science, cum laude, from Brigham Young University.
Advised clients in financial services and other industries regarding data privacy issues and responses to data breach incidents.
Represented several major music labels in copyright infringement action in federal court against online music service, obtaining favorable settlement for music labels.
Obtained Fifth Circuit affirmance of summary judgment order disposing of putative consumer class action for alleged false advertising.
Achieved dismissal, at pleading stage, of petition for writ of mandate challenging county enforcement actions as violations of California Environmental Quality Act.
Represented Fortune 500 company in connection with U.S. Department of Justice antitrust investigation, resulting in no action taken against company.
Represented Samsung Electronics Co. in connection with patent, trademark and trade dress infringement claims related to smartphone and tablet computer products brought by Apple Inc. in federal court and in the U.S. International Trade Commission.
Represented publicly traded technology company in securities class action and related shareholder derivative suit arising from company’s restatement of financials involving $2 billion loss of market capitalization, obtaining dismissals with prejudice.
Represented global company in connection with potential violations of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in multiple countries, obtaining favorable settlement, including non-prosecution agreement with U.S. Department of Justice and deferred prosecution agreement with Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Attorney General Releases Modified CCPA Draft Regulations: Key Changes Your Business Should Know” (February 10, 2020)
“California Consumer Privacy Act Update: Less Than Three Months To Go For Compliance” (October 18, 2019)
“GPS Monitoring Of Employees In California: Do You Know Where Your Employees Are? Are You Allowed To Know?” (March 15, 2019)
“The California Consumer Privacy Act Is Coming. Is Your Business Ready?” (March 8, 2019)
“Assessing Drone Industry Successes & Challenges as the FAA’s Small Commercial Drone Rule Turns 1” (September 2017)
“Five Lessons All Companies Can Learn From The Equifax Data Breach” (September 2017)
“Registration Rule Decision Invites Congress to Expand FAA Authority Over Hobby Drones (Or Not)” (May 2017)
“Drone Rules Raise Preemption Questions,” The Daily Journal (August 16, 2016)
“Property Rights to the Periphery of the Universe or Only to the Rooftop? The Effects of Drones on Airspace Rights in California and Where to Go From Here,” California Real Property Journal Vol. 34, No. 1 (2016)
“Legal Framework Lacking in the Age of Drones,” The Daily Journal (April 22, 2016)
“Paparazzi Lose, Hobbyists Win on Drones,” The Daily Journal (October 15, 2015)
“The Indian Law Canons of Construction v. The Chevron Doctrine: Congressional Intent and the Unambiguous Answer to the Ambiguous Problem,” 37 Conn. L. Rev. 495 (2004)
