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Class Action & Trial Counsel · Chicago, Illinois

A litigation record measured in billions.

Sweetnam LLC represents consumers, individuals, and businesses in class action, business litigation, and personal injury matters in Illinois state and federal courts. The firm has served as counsel of record in class action lawsuits resulting in more than $20 billion in recoveries.

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Serving Chicago and clients throughout the United States

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$20B+

Class Recoveries

$21.5M

FCRA Settlement

Nationwide

Class Action Practice

More than $20 billion recovered in class action lawsuits where the firm served as counsel of record. Consumer protection · Privacy · Fair Credit Reporting Act · Bank fee practices

Practice Areas

Three areas. Handled with the same discipline.

The firm takes a limited number of matters so each one receives senior attention. Whether the case involves 23,000 class members or a single injured client, the work is prepared as if it will be tried.

01

Class Action

Representation of consumers in cases where a company’s practice affected large groups the same way. The firm has been appointed class counsel and lead counsel in federal consumer cases and has litigated class certification through contested briefing.

Fair Credit Reporting Act claims
Bank overdraft and fee practices
Consumer fraud and refund practices
Privacy and data misuse

02

Business Litigation

Commercial disputes for businesses and individuals in Illinois state and federal courts. Cases are scoped and budgeted early so a client knows what the fight is worth before it starts.

Contract and warranty disputes
Partnership and ownership conflicts
Breach of fiduciary duty
Business fraud and misrepresentation

03

Personal Injury

Individual representation for people injured by negligence. The same investigative approach used to build class cases against national corporations applies to a single-client injury claim.

Motor vehicle and trucking collisions
Premises liability
Serious and catastrophic injury
Insurance claim disputes
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Notable Results

Selected settlements of record.

A record is easier to read than a claim. These are matters in which Mr. Sweetnam served as class counsel or lead counsel.

01

Stewart, et al. v. LexisNexis Risk Data Retrieval Services, LLC
Fair Credit Reporting Act · Class Counsel

Mr. Sweetnam was class counsel in this Fair Credit Reporting Act class action which resulted in a $21.5 million settlement on behalf of 23,000 consumers about whom LexisNexis was alleged to have reported inaccurate civil judgment and lien information in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

$21.5M

Settlement

02

Kelly v. Old National Bank
Consumer Fraud & Overdraft Fees · Lead Counsel

Mr. Sweetnam obtained class certification and was appointed lead counsel for the class in this consumer fraud bank overdraft fee class action, ultimately resulting in an all-cash settlement of $4.9 million, representing more than 90% of the class’ damages.

$4.9M

All-Cash Settlement

03

Levey, et al. v. Concesionaria Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A.P.I. de C.V.
Consumer Fraud · Class Counsel

Mr. Sweetnam was class counsel in this consumer fraud class action against Mexican airline Volaris alleging its failure to issue refunds to more than 23,000 passengers whose flights were canceled during the early phases of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although numerous other similar cases were filed against other airlines, Mr. Sweetnam obtained the only all-cash settlement, totaling $3.5 million.

$3.5M

All-Cash Settlement

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. You may have to pay opposing parties’ legal fees in the event of a loss.

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Practice Areas

Statewide Illinois reach.

Based in Lake Forest and practicing in Chicago and courts throughout Illinois, including the federal district courts where consumer class actions are most often filed. Class members in the firm’s cases have been located across the country.

Lake Forest · Chicago · Lake County · Cook County · DuPage County · Statewide Illinois

Speak with the firm

Discuss Your Matter Call 847-877-2970
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Nationwide Service Area

Nationwide representation.

While the firm is based in Lake Forest and serves clients throughout Illinois, its practice extends far beyond state lines. The firm represents clients nationwide in consumer class actions and complex litigation, including matters pursued in federal courts. If you are located outside Illinois and believe you may have a claim, the firm can evaluate your matter and discuss your legal options.

Serving clients nationwide

Speak with the firm

Discuss Your Matter Call 847-877-2970

Jurisdictional Disclaimer: Unless otherwise expressly indicated in an individual attorney’s biography, the attorneys of this firm are licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois only. This website and its contents are not intended to constitute advertising or solicitation in any jurisdiction where our attorneys are not authorized to practice law. The publication of this information is not intended to practice law in any state other than Illinois, and the firm does not wish to represent anyone desiring representation based upon viewing this website in a state where this website fails to comply with all laws and ethical rules of that state.

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Client Feedback

What clients have said.

  • I fully recommend Sweetnam LLC. From the moment I engaged their services, the level of professionalism demonstrated by every member of the team was outstanding.

    R.S.

    Illinois

  • Sweetnam LLC is a top-tier practice to quickly resolve all manner of consumer protection and privacy concerns.

    A.M.

    Illinois

  • Sweetnam LLC provides outstanding representation, with extensive experience in protecting consumers who are being taken advantage of by large corporations. The right people to have on your side.

    C.P.

    Illinois

The Attorney

Who you will be working with.

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William M. Sweetnam

William M. Sweetnam

Managing Partner

William M. Sweetnam has over 30 years of experience representing consumers harmed by unfair and deceptive business practices and individuals whose privacy rights have been violated. Mr. Sweetnam also represents individuals injured in accidents or by medical malpractice.

Mr. Sweetnam has been counsel of record in class action lawsuits resulting in recoveries totaling more than $20 billion

Bar Admissions
State of Illinois
Court Admissions
United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)
United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
Focus
Class Action · Business Litigation · Personal Injury
Office
Lake Forest, Illinois

Questions

Frequently asked.

Sweetnam LLC represents consumers in individual and class action litigation involving privacy violations, consumer fraud, deceptive business practices, unlawful marketing, data breaches, and other consumer protection matters.

Our mission is straightforward: hold companies accountable when they violate consumers’ rights and seek meaningful relief for the people affected.

A class action is a lawsuit brought on behalf of a group of people who suffered similar harm because of the same unlawful conduct. 
Instead of requiring thousands of consumers to file separate cases, one or more individuals can seek relief for everyone affected by the challenged practice. 
Class actions are often used to address: 

  • Data breaches 
  • Privacy violations 
  • Unlawful collection of personal information 
  • Hidden fees and charges 
  • Deceptive advertising 
  • Illegal robocalls and text messages 
  • Subscription and automatic renewal violations

A privacy violation occurs when a company improperly collects, uses, shares, stores, discloses, or profits from personal information without complying with applicable laws or consumer expectations. 
Examples may include:

  • Unauthorized sharing of consumer data 
  • Improper website tracking technologies 
  • Unlawful disclosure of personal information 
  • Recording communications without proper consent 
  • Misuse of biometric information 
  • Failure to adequately safeguard sensitive data

Fee arrangements vary depending on the nature of the matter. 
In many consumer protection and class action cases, representation may be available on a contingency-fee basis. Any fee arrangement will be clearly discussed before representation begins.

Sweetnam LLC is focused on plaintiff-side consumer protection and privacy litigation. Rather than representing businesses, insurers, or large corporate defendants, we represent individuals whose rights have been violated. 
Because our practice is concentrated in these areas, we stay on top of emerging privacy issues, evolving consumer protection laws, and new forms of digital misconduct affecting consumers.

Not every breach creates a viable legal claim, but receiving a breach notification is often a reason to investigate further. 
If you received a breach notice, preserve all communications concerning the incident and consider contacting Sweetnam LLC to discuss your rights and available options.

Potentially.
A company may be held accountable when it makes false or misleading representations that influence consumer purchasing decisions. Whether a viable claim exists depends on the specific facts, the applicable law, and the evidence available.