Managing Partner
NEW YORK, NY – November 7, 2025 – With a putative class of approximately 76 million consumers, James F. Woods, Managing Partner of Woods Lonergan PLLC, has been appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee (PEC) in the nationwide class action lawsuit against Johnson Controls International (JCI). The appointment was made by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, presided over by the Honorable Brett H. Ludwig.
Leadership and Case Overview
Mr. Woods’ appointment recognizes his extensive experience in complex civil litigation, with a particular focus on data privacy and class action matters. He will help guide the strategic direction of the consolidated lawsuits, including the JCI class action complaint filed by Woods Lonergan (Case No. 2:25-cv-01071), initiated on July 23, 2025.
A Breach Threatening Home and Personal Security
The Johnson Controls breach is notable both for its scale and the sensitivity of the compromised information. Approximately 76 million households and small businesses were impacted, with exposed data including full names, contact information, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers, passwords, and building security details such as home layouts and floor plans.
Statement from James Woods
“We are honored to accept this leadership role and are determined to hold Johnson Controls accountable for what appears to be a systemic failure to safeguard extremely sensitive data,” said James Woods. “The exposure of Social Security Numbers, home security details, and building diagrams—combined with a nearly two-year notification delay—poses a severe threat to the physical safety and long-term privacy of millions of individuals. Our priority is ensuring comprehensive relief for those affected and compelling JCI to implement the robust security reforms. We look forward to working with the Johnson Controls leadership team and our fellow committee members to move this litigation forward on behalf of the putative class.”
Key Facts About the Johnson Controls Breach
- Scale: Approximately 76 million households and individuals affected
- Data Stolen: 27 terabytes of information
- Duration of Access: February–September 2023
- Notification Delay: Breach discovered September 2023; notifications began June 30, 2025
- Allegations: Negligence, negligence per se, and breach of fiduciary duty for failure to adopt adequate security measures
The lawsuits allege that JCI failed to use reasonable safeguards to protect sensitive consumer and property data, resulting in significant privacy and safety risks for millions of victims.
About Woods Lonergan PLLC
Woods Lonergan PLLC is a nationally recognized litigation firm with over 30 years of experience representing clients in complex commercial and civil disputes, as well as class actions and data privacy matters, in courts nationwide. Our business dispute attorneys have a long-standing track record of success in New York’s state and federal courts, including the Commercial Division of the New York Supreme Court and the Appellate Division, and are regularly retained to litigate high-stakes matters involving multi-million dollar claims across a wide range of industries and sectors with significant business impact.
Unlike much larger law firms, Woods Lonergan ensures that every case is directly handled by seasoned trial attorneys with decades of courtroom experience. From strategy to courtroom, your matter is led by experienced litigation counsel—not by a rotating team of junior lawyers—so you receive focused, senior-level representation from start to finish.
Our attorneys have been recognized for their work in commercial disputes and real estate litigation by Chambers USA, Super Lawyers, and the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rating—the highest possible distinction for legal ability and ethical standards.
Woods Lonergan represents business owners, boards of directors, corporate officers, and entrepreneurs in high-stakes matters involving contract disputes, shareholder and partnership litigation, fiduciary duty claims, and corporate governance issues. Woods Lonergan is highly selective in the cases it takes on, focusing on disputes where its strategic approach and litigation expertise are best positioned to achieve meaningful, high-value outcomes. To ensure client interests remain fully aligned, the firm offers hybrid contingency fee arrangements in select complex commercial matters.