Partner, Hunter J. Shkolnik, Esq. Appointed a Lead Counsel for Kaba Simplex Locks Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation MDL No. 2220.

NEW YORK, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently filed class action lawsuits against Kaba Ilco Corp., a multinational company that is a leading manufacturer of the Simplex line of electronic and mechanical pushbutton locks, alleges that almost every lock sold by the company is easily bypassed with a magnet leaving homes, office buildings, businesses and high security areas such as airports, U.S. Customs offices, courthouses, police and fire stations, and post offices subject to easy break-in. The suit alleges that by placing a magnet up to the side of the lock the user can bypass the locking mechanism without having to input the correct combination. The lawsuits have been consolidated before Judge Donald Nugent in the Northern District of Ohio.

Simplex Pushbutton lock, manufactured by North Carolina based Kaba Ilco Corp., are used in a wide variety of applications. They can be seen protecting anything from homes and businesses to bathroom doors and airport high security areas. The locks have prominent use in the Jewish community due to the fact that they don't require a key; carrying keys is forbidden on the Sabbath. One of the first suits filed alleges that the Brooklyn plaintiff discovered he was able to open his Kaba Simplex lock with a magnet and in order to rule out it being an isolated defect, he also opened 25 of his neighbor's Kaba locks. The technique is simple, some reports have shown children with no guidance whatsoever were able to open the locks after only a few minutes. Replacing or fixing these lock could cost Kaba hundreds of millions of dollars, but until fixed it leaves homes and businesses vulnerable to burglary.

Mr. Shkolnik has stated, "that he wants to move the litigation quickly forward to ensure that Kaba takes responsibility and either replaces the defective locks or provides immediate payment for its customers to change out the defective locks to ensure their safety."

Rheingold, Valet, Rheingold, Shkolnik & McCartney was one of the first firms to file suit and is leading the Class Action to get owners of these locks just compensation.

SOURCE Rheingold, Valet, Rheingold, Shkolnik & McCartney LLP