If you were affected, free legal review is available — no obligation.
Learn how to participate in the class action and what compensation you may be entitled to.
Join the Class Action →Use our verification tool to confirm your letter matches this official AG filing.
Verify My Notice LetterThis case file references a public filing made with the state filing in IN. This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any state government agency.
McDermott Will & Schulte LLP was the subject of a data breach notification filed with the IN Attorney General. The AG filing was recorded on August 28, 2026. The breach or discovery date reported in the filing is May 7, 2026.
From the AG filing description
McDermott Will & Schulte LLP operates within the highly sensitive legal services sector, handling complex litigation, corporate transactions, intellectual property matters, and confidential client counseling. Because of the nature of their practice, law firms of this caliber routinely collect, process, and retain vast quantities of confidential, highly regulated data. This includes not only internal employee and operational records, but also extensive dossiers containing proprietary corporate information, sensitive financial details, personally identifiable information (PII) of corporate executives, and sometimes private personal documents related to individual clients involved in high-stakes legal disputes. In 2026, McDermott Will & Schulte LLP reported a significant data security incident to the Indiana Attorney General, triggering legal scrutiny and mandatory notification procedures. While specific forensic details continue to emerge, incidents affecting prominent legal institutions typically involve sophisticated cyberattacks, such as ransomware deployments, unauthorized entry into legacy document management systems, or compromises of third-party vendor platforms used for e-discovery and client communication. Because law firms serve as central repositories for multiple interconnected corporate and individual networks, they present high-value targets for malicious actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in network perimeters or exfiltrate confidential files. The exposure resulting from a breach of a major law firm threatens individuals whose sensitive records were stored within their systems. Compromised data categories frequently include full names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, financial account details, tax documents, and confidential correspondence containing privileged or private disclosures. When cybercriminals obtain this combination of PII and financial or tax information, victims face an immediate and severe risk of identity theft, fraudulent credit card applications, unauthorized bank account takeovers, and targeted phishing schemes. For corporate clients and employees whose data is compromised, the fallout can extend to corporate espionage, fraudulent tax filings, and long-term reputational or financial distress. As custodians of highly sensitive personal and professional data, McDermott Will & Schulte LLP is legally bound by state data protection statutes, common law duties of care, and professional standards of confidentiality to implement robust cybersecurity measures. Under Indiana law and applicable federal guidelines, organizations that collect and maintain PII have an affirmative obligation to deploy reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards—such as multi-factor authentication, endpoint detection, regular vulnerability assessments, and robust data encryption—to prevent unauthorized access. The occurrence of a successful breach strongly indicates potential shortcomings or systemic failures in these required security protocols, raising serious questions about whether the firm fulfilled its legal duties to protect vulnerable data. Receiving a data breach notification letter from McDermott Will & Schulte LLP serves as formal legal acknowledgment that your personal or professional information was compromised due to inadequate security safeguards. Under modern class action jurisprudence, the receipt of such a notification letter establishes legal standing to participate in a lawsuit, allowing affected individuals to demand accountability and compensation without needing to wait until actual financial fraud occurs. Our law firm is currently investigating potential class action claims against McDermott Will & Schulte LLP on behalf of affected individuals. We handle all data breach cases on a strict contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing out of pocket, and we only collect a fee if we successfully recover compensation on your behalf.
Under the Indiana data breach notification law, you may have a legal claim against McDermott Will & Schulte LLP if any of the following apply:
Based on the data types reported in this filing:
Your SSN is the master key to your identity. Once exposed, criminals can open new lines of credit, take out loans, or file taxes in your name.
Combined with a name and other leaked data, date of birth helps criminals pass identity verification questions at banks and government agencies.
Common categories of compensation in data breach class actions
Courts recognize that the time spent monitoring accounts, placing credit freezes, and dealing with the aftermath of a breach has real economic value. This category of damages is recoverable even without direct financial loss.
Professional credit monitoring services cost $10–$40 per month. Identity theft restoration services, if needed, can cost hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars. Courts have awarded these costs as direct damages in SSN breach cases.
Direct financial losses resulting from the breach — unauthorized charges, fraudulent transfers, or fees incurred through fraud — are recoverable as compensatory damages. Banks may reverse some charges; a class action recovers the remainder and associated costs.
Several state data breach laws provide for statutory minimum damages — fixed amounts recoverable per affected individual regardless of actual loss. These provisions exist specifically to make legal action viable for victims who have not yet experienced direct harm.
Note: an attorney general breach filing does not by itself establish a settlement fund, a payment amount, or a claim deadline. If an official settlement notice is later issued, rely on that notice for payment details and deadlines.
No. Under Indiana data breach notification law and federal law, the unauthorized exposure of your personal data — regardless of whether it has been actively misused — can be sufficient grounds for a claim. The breach itself is the injury.
Nothing. The Law Office of David S. Harris handles data breach cases on contingency — you pay zero upfront and owe nothing unless compensation is recovered.
Immediately place a free credit freeze at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). A freeze blocks new accounts from being opened in your name. Then file a complaint with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and contact our office — SSN exposure is one of the most serious breach types.
Banks may reverse fraudulent charges, but they are not obligated to compensate you for time lost, stress, or indirect damages. A class action claim against the breached company can recover those additional categories of harm.
State statutes of limitations for data breach claims typically run 2–4 years from the date of the breach or its discovery. Because this breach was recently disclosed, the window is open — but acting early preserves your options and strengthens the case.
Accepting free credit monitoring from McDermott Will & Schulte LLP does not waive your right to pursue legal action unless you signed a specific release waiving claims. In most cases, victims who accepted monitoring can still file.
Not necessarily. Many data breach victims are never notified directly. If your personal information was held by McDermott Will & Schulte LLP during the relevant period, you may still qualify even without receiving a letter. A free eligibility review can confirm your status.
Applicable State Law
This breach was reported under the Indiana data breach notification law, which mandates notification and establishes your right to seek damages.
Case review window ends October 23, 2026 — review your letter.
Review Your Letter →McDermott Will & Schulte LLP breach?
Free case review · No fee unless you win