Plaintiffs' Notice of Supplemental Support
Plaintiffs' Notice of Supplemental Support
Plaintiffs' Notice of Supplemental Support
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Plaintiffs,
vs.
ZILLOW, INC., a Washington corporation,
ERROL SAMUELSON, an individual, and
CURTIS BEARDSLEY, an individual, and
DOES 1-20,
Defendants.
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CABLE, LANGENBACH,
KINERK & BAUER, LLP
1000 SECOND AVENUE, SUITE 3500
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98104-1048
(206) 292-8800
The plaintiffs submit the following supplemental support to their (1) Motion to Revise
the Special Masters Order Quashing Key Portions of the Document Subpoena to Trulia, and (2)
Motion to Revise the Special Masters Order re Subpoenas to Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan
(the Motions), which were filed on April 6, 2015. The plaintiffs bring this supplemental
support to the attention of the Court now because only yesterday, April 9, 2015, the plaintiffs
plaintiffs respectfully request that the following supplemental support be considered in support
of their motions to revise because the information contained herein did not come to the plaintiffs
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A.
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been written by a Zillow employee concerned about his or her colleagues unlawful conduct.
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defendants stole multiple documents and entire databases, are using the stolen information, and
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are hiding evidence on non-Zillow electronic services. The plaintiffs have complained for
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months that the defendants are systematically hiding evidence in secret non-Zillow email
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accounts and file-sharing services. The defendants have denied the claims, deriding them as
silly conspiracy theories and claim they have produced everything. The whistleblowers letter
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appears to confirm, however, the plaintiffs worst fears. The whistleblower identifies specific
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individuals, specific documents, and specific locations to search for evidence of the defendants
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unlawful conduct.
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The anonymous letter appears to have been written by a whistleblower at Zillow with
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knowledge of its internal practices as well as the behavior of its CEO and other high-level
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executives. The letter thoroughly confirms several points that the plaintiffs have maintained for
months, including the defendants brazen violations of the Courts Preliminary Injunction.
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PLAINTIFFS NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT
CABLE, LANGENBACH,
KINERK & BAUER, LLP
1000 SECOND AVENUE, SUITE 3500
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98104-1048
(206) 292-8800
Discussing Mr. Samuelson, the author writes: Was he working while on injunction? yes,
absolutely. Ex. A. at 1. Was he careful so you couldnt catch him, yes, absolutely. Id. The
letter goes on to outline several sources of evidence and potential witnesses who could
of Moves private MLS contact database, listing count database and other databases stolen from
Move. Id. Mr. Beardsley uses a google docs account to keep them off of his work computer.
He has accessed it from work and Many other employees have witnessed him using this database
and he is using it to benefit Zillows efforts as Zillows database is inferior. Employee Will
Hebbard works on this and has seen Curt using it. Will is the keeper of Zillows database which
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is now supplemented by the data Curt stole from Move. Id. at 1-2. This statement which is
entirely consistent with the plaintiffs assertions in this case reveals profoundly unlawful
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conduct. It is a worst-case scenario for the plaintiffs, who have for more than a year feared that
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the defendants stole key information for Zillow. It appears the information, including entire
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databases, were indeed stolen and are still being used by the defendants and stored in a Google
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B.
engaged in an ongoing misappropriation of Moves trade secret information. The letter also
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supports the inference that the defendants continue to hide evidence from the plaintiffs and this
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Court about their unlawful activities. The details in the letter concerning the use of Google Docs
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to store and use Moves own databases reveals the lengths to which the defendants will go to
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conceal their illegal activities. Indeed, the plaintiffs are very concerned about the real possibility
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that the whistleblower letter will result in yet more spoliation of evidence and have sought an
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emergency preservation order from the Special Master. This is not an ordinary case with
ordinary defendants. After all, the Court has already held they destroyed evidence and experts
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PLAINTIFFS NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT
CABLE, LANGENBACH,
KINERK & BAUER, LLP
1000 SECOND AVENUE, SUITE 3500
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98104-1048
(206) 292-8800
have confirmed their evidence destruction. See Caslin Decl. ISO Pls. 4-6-15 Mot. for Entry of a
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The defendants
simply cannot be trusted to be the sole source of evidence in this case regarding their conduct.
Nor should the defendants be permitted to limit the scope of discovery sought by the plaintiffs
from third parties. Unfortunately, third parties may prove to be the only reliable sources of
discovery available to the plaintiffs regarding the defendants misconduct. The whistleblower
letter further supports the plaintiffs argument that their third-party subpoenas are appropriate
and that the Special Masters Order should be revised so necessary third-party discovery can take
place.
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DATED April 10, 2015, in Seattle, Washington.
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PLAINTIFFS NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT
CABLE, LANGENBACH,
KINERK & BAUER, LLP
1000 SECOND AVENUE, SUITE 3500
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98104-1048
(206) 292-8800
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PLAINTIFFS NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT
CABLE, LANGENBACH,
KINERK & BAUER, LLP
1000 SECOND AVENUE, SUITE 3500
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98104-1048
(206) 292-8800