Thiago M. Coelho, Esq. is a Partner at Wilshire Law Firm, PLC, and serves as the Chair of the Consumer and Data Privacy Class Action departments. He represents large classes of consumers in complex, large-scale litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the United States. Among the few attorneys in California with class action trial experience through verdict, Thiago brings rare courtroom experience to high-stakes class action litigation. A Los Angeles County Superior Court Complex Civil judge described his trial advocacy as “excellent” and “extraordinary,” while another judge recognized his “extensive experience litigating consumer class actions.” His litigation experience has earned him significant recognition, including a 2024 California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) award from The Daily Journal.
Thiago has litigated hundreds of cases nationwide and has extensive experience across all stages of litigation, including trials and appeals. His victories include notable appellate decisions in state and federal courts across multiple jurisdictions. In California, he helped secure the landmark published decision in Moore v. Centrelake Medical Group, Inc., 83 Cal. App. 5th 515 (2022), a medical data breach decision cited more than 320 times, in which the California Court of Appeal reversed dismissal of key UCL and contract claims. In Georgia, he prevailed in Bland v. Urology of Greater Atlanta, LLC, 377 Ga. App. 177 (2025), where the Georgia Court of Appeals reversed dismissal of negligence, implied-contract, implied-covenant, and injunctive-relief claims in a healthcare data breach class action. At the federal appellate level, Thiago’s record includes Ninth Circuit victories such as Freeman, et al. v. 3Commas Technologies OÜ, No. 24-6158 (9th Cir. Mar. 2, 2026), where the court reversed the district court’s personal jurisdiction dismissal of a data security class action involving an AI-enabled cryptocurrency trading platform, and Mier v. CVS Health, No. 22-55665, 2023 WL 4837851 (9th Cir. July 28, 2023), where he obtained Rule 23(f) review, resulting in partial vacatur and remand of the denial of class certification.
Beyond his appellate victories, Thiago has secured substantial class-action recoveries for consumers. In Peters, et al. v. Apple Inc., No. 19STCV21787 (Cal. Super. Ct.), he recovered 90% of the maximum value through a $25 million common-fund settlement. Thiago also helped secure a $49,995,000 settlement in Head, et al. v. Regal Medical Group, Inc., et al., No. 23STCV02939 (Cal. Super. Ct.), a healthcare data-breach class action. In In re MOVEit Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, MDL No. 3083, Thiago is one of two attorneys appointed by the court on the Experts Committee in a nationwide data-breach MDL involving hundreds of cases and more than 90 defendants; the litigation has generated more than $30 million in settlements to date. In 2024, he also secured what was then the second-highest known class-action settlement of its kind against a fashion retailer.
He has been recognized by industry peers for his dedication to excellence and has received numerous legal accolades, including Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Super Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40, Top 25 Class Action Attorney, and the Top 10 Data Privacy Attorney. Beyond his legal expertise, he is also a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH). Thiago serves on the Data Breach Committee of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), which works to refine and develop legislation to keep pace with the evolving privacy landscape. He is the Vice President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Privacy and Cybersecurity Section and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Practice Areas
- Class Actions
- Mass Actions
- Unfair Competition Actions
- Consumer Protection
- Data Privacy
- Investment Fraud
- Qui Tam Claims
- Antitrust
Education
- University of Central Florida – Bachelor of Science
- University of Southern California, Gould School of Law – Juris Doctor
Accolades
- California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY)
- Super Lawyers
- Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch
- The Class Action Trial Lawyers – Top 25, NTL
- Data Privacy Trial Lawyers – Top 10, NTL
- Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Lawyers, NTL
Memberships
- Data Breach Committee of the Consumer Attorneys Of California (CAOC)
- Class Action Division, American Association for Justice (AAJ)
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA)
- Impact Fund
- American Bar Association
- Los Angeles County Bar Association – Board of Trustees
- Los Angeles County Bar Association – Privacy and Cybersecurity Section
Publications & Appearances
- “Citizens Policing the Police: An Evaluation of Citizens Recording Police Officers and Eavesdropping Laws,” 51 No. 1 Crim. Law Bulletin ART 6 (2015)
- “Mass Arbitration and Automation,” Speaker at National Trial Lawyers Summit
