About Sweetnam LLC
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.
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.
Class Actions
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
Class actions help level the playing field between consumers and large corporations.
In many cases, the harm suffered by each consumer may be relatively small, making individual lawsuits impractical. Class actions allow consumers to collectively seek accountability and relief.
Usually not.
Most class members never have to appear in court, testify, or actively participate in the litigation. In many cases, involvement may consist of submitting information regarding your experience or filing a claim if a settlement is reached.
There is no universal timeline.
Some cases resolve within a year, while others may take several years depending on the legal issues involved, the number of parties, discovery, motion practice, settlement negotiations, and appeals.
Read the notice carefully. It explains who is included, how to file a claim, and the deadlines to file, opt out, or object. If you want a payment, you will usually need to submit a claim form by the deadline. If your losses were significant, consider speaking with an attorney before deciding whether to stay in the class.
In most class actions seeking money damages, yes. Opting out removes you from the class, so you will not receive a payment from a class settlement or judgment, but you keep the right to bring your own claim. You must follow the instructions in the class notice and meet the opt-out deadline.
A class representative, also called a named plaintiff, is a person who brings the lawsuit on behalf of the class. Class representatives stay informed about the case, provide information and documents, and may be asked to testify. Courts may approve a service award for their time and effort.
Yes. Every claim is subject to a statute of limitations, and the deadline depends on the law involved. For example, many TCPA claims must be filed within four years, and BIPA claims within five years. Contact an attorney promptly so important deadlines are not missed.
Business Litigation
Both. Sweetnam LLC represents businesses, owners, shareholders, and individuals who need to pursue a claim, as well as those defending against one. Experience on both sides helps us anticipate how the other party will approach the dispute.
Take it seriously, but do not respond immediately. Note any deadlines in the letter, preserve related documents and communications, and avoid discussing the dispute with the other party. Speaking with an attorney before you respond can help you evaluate the claim and avoid statements that could hurt your position.
These disputes arise between co-owners of a business over issues such as management decisions, finances, ownership percentages, distributions, or one owner’s conduct. They often turn on the company’s operating agreement, partnership agreement, bylaws, or shareholder agreement, and can involve claims such as breach of fiduciary duty or requests for a buyout.
Generally, owners of a properly formed corporation or LLC are not personally liable for the company’s obligations. However, an owner may be personally liable if they signed a personal guarantee, personally participated in wrongful conduct such as fraud, or failed to keep the business separate from their personal affairs.
Sometimes. The Illinois Freedom to Work Act limits non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, including earnings thresholds below which they are not enforceable. Agreements must also be reasonable in scope, protect a legitimate business interest, and meet other legal requirements. Whether a specific agreement can be enforced depends on its terms and the circumstances.
Personal Injury
Sweetnam LLC represents people injured because of someone else’s negligence, including in car and truck accidents, pedestrian and bicycle accidents, slip and falls, defective product injuries, and wrongful death. We represent personal injury clients in Chicago, Lake Forest, and throughout Illinois.
Negligence is a failure to use reasonable care that causes harm to someone else. In a personal injury case, the injured person generally must show that the other party owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused injuries and losses as a result.
Some injuries, such as concussions, whiplash, and internal injuries, may not cause noticeable symptoms for hours or days. See a doctor as soon as you notice symptoms and tell them about the accident. Prompt medical records help connect your injuries to the accident.
Not necessarily. Many personal injury claims are resolved through settlement negotiations with an insurance company without a trial. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, filing a lawsuit may be necessary, and many cases still settle before trial.
Workplace injuries are usually covered by workers’ compensation. However, if someone other than your employer contributed to your injury, such as a negligent driver, subcontractor, or equipment manufacturer, you may also have a separate personal injury claim against that party.
Privacy Law
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
Sweetnam LLC investigates a wide range of privacy issues, including:
- Data breaches
- Website tracking and pixel technologies
- Session replay and user-monitoring technologies
- Biometric privacy violations
- Consumer data-sharing practices
- Mobile application privacy issues
- Telephone and text message privacy violations
Because privacy law continues to evolve rapidly, we also evaluate emerging technologies and business practices that may infringe upon consumer privacy rights.
A data breach occurs when sensitive information is exposed, accessed, acquired, or disclosed without authorization.
The affected information may include:
- Social Security numbers
- Financial account information
- Medical information
- Driver’s license numbers
- Passwords and login credentials
- Other personal identifying information
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.
Consider:
- Saving copies of all breach notifications
- Monitoring financial and credit accounts
- Changing passwords
- Enabling multi-factor authentication
- Reviewing available credit-monitoring services
- Retaining documentation of any fraud or suspicious activity
Documentation can be important if litigation later becomes necessary.
Biometric information comes from physical characteristics that can identify a person, such as fingerprints, face geometry, hand scans, retina or iris scans, and voiceprints. Because these identifiers cannot be changed like a password, a compromise can create lasting risks.
You may, if your employer did not give you written notice and obtain your written consent before collecting it, or did not follow BIPA’s retention and destruction requirements. Contact an attorney to review the circumstances.
The Illinois Supreme Court has held that BIPA claims are subject to a five-year statute of limitations. When that period begins depends on the facts, so it is best to speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
Consumer Protection
Consumer protection laws are designed to prevent businesses from engaging in unfair, deceptive, fraudulent, or unlawful practices.
These laws may protect consumers from:
- False advertising
- Hidden fees
- Misleading marketing
- Unauthorized charges
- Unfair subscription practices
- Certain unfair debt collection activities
- Improper use of consumer information
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.
These cases involve subscriptions or recurring billing programs that allegedly fail to comply with disclosure, consent, cancellation, or renewal requirements.
Examples may include:
- Unexpected recurring charges
- Difficult cancellation procedures
- Insufficient renewal disclosures
- Enrollment practices that do not clearly inform consumers of recurring obligations
The Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act prohibits unfair or deceptive practices in trade or commerce, including misrepresentation and the concealment of important facts. Consumers harmed by these practices may recover actual damages and, in appropriate cases, punitive damages and attorney’s fees.
Hidden or junk fees are charges that are not clearly disclosed up front, such as service, processing, or convenience fees added at checkout or buried in fine print. When a company advertises one price but charges another, consumers may have claims under consumer protection laws.
Keep records of your cancellation, including confirmation emails, screenshots, and account statements showing later charges. Contact the company and your card issuer to dispute the charges. If the company makes cancellation difficult or continues to charge many customers after cancellation, you may have a claim under Illinois law.
Robocalls and Unwanted Text Messages
There are many possible explanations, including prior consent, mistaken enrollment, purchased marketing lists, or unlawful marketing practices.
Certain federal and state laws regulate marketing texts and calls. If you believe you are receiving unauthorized communications, Sweetnam LLC may be able to evaluate your situation.
The answer depends on the circumstances, the nature of the messages, and applicable federal and state law.
If you are receiving repeated marketing texts or calls that you did not authorize, you may wish to consult with counsel regarding your rights.
Companies must honor requests to stop sending marketing messages. Continuing to text after you have opted out may violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Save screenshots showing your STOP reply and every message you received afterward, including dates and times.
Under the TCPA, consumers may recover $500 for each unlawful call or text, and up to $1,500 for each one that was willful or knowing. Because damages are counted per message, repeated violations can add up quickly.
Save screenshots of the texts, your call log showing dates and times, voicemails, and the numbers that contacted you. Note whether you ever gave the company your number and whether you asked it to stop.
Hiring Sweetnam LLC
Nothing.
Sweetnam LLC welcomes inquiries from consumers who believe their rights may have been violated. Initial evaluations are generally provided without charge.
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.
Helpful information may include:
- The company involved
- What happened
- Relevant dates
- Emails or letters you received
- Screenshots
- Text messages
- Account statements
- Data breach notices
- Any other supporting documents
The more information you can provide, the easier it will be for us to evaluate your inquiry.
No.
Submitting a contact form, sending an email, leaving a voicemail, or participating in an initial consultation does not create an attorney-client relationship.
An attorney-client relationship is established only after a written engagement agreement has been signed by both the client and Sweetnam LLC.
No. Sweetnam LLC represents clients throughout Illinois, and class actions may involve consumers in many states. Contact us to discuss whether your matter may be a fit.
Sweetnam LLC treats the information you share with care. However, contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship, so please do not include confidential or highly sensitive details, such as Social Security or account numbers, in our online form.
Legal Disclaimer
The information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Viewing this website or contacting Sweetnam LLC does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every matter depends on its unique facts and applicable law.