McDermott Will & Schulte Data Breach

McDermott Will & Schulte, a large law firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, began notifying individuals on August 28, 2026 that their personal information had been accessed in a data breach. Law firms hold vast amounts of highly sensitive client and case data, and when that data is entrusted to a firm, it comes with a responsibility to keep it secure from unauthorized access.

McDermott Will & Schulte’s Data Breach Investigation

Attorneys are investigating whether McDermott Will & Schulte took adequate steps to protect the personal information in its possession before it was accessed without authorization. According to a notice filed with the Vermont Attorney General’s office, the firm discovered that certain files containing Social Security numbers and health records had been accessed by an unauthorized party. Vermont’s breach notification law is one of the most protective in the country, and it requires companies handling the information of Vermont residents to file notice with the Attorney General as soon as the scope of an incident is understood, which is how this filing became public.

Law firms have increasingly become high-value targets for cybercriminals because of the volume and sensitivity of the information they hold on behalf of their own clients, corporate clients, and, in some cases, group health plan participants. A single firm can hold litigation files, HR and benefits records, medical documentation submitted as part of a legal matter, and financial account information all in one place, making a successful intrusion especially damaging to those affected. When a professional services firm like McDermott Will & Schulte fails to prevent unauthorized access to that kind of data, the people whose information was exposed can be left facing a heightened, long-term risk of identity theft, medical identity fraud, and targeted phishing schemes that reference real details from their own records.

As of this writing, McDermott Will & Schulte has not publicly disclosed the specific cause of the incident, the total number of individuals affected nationwide, or whether any of the exposed information has appeared for sale on the dark web. Attorneys working on this investigation are gathering more information and are interested in hearing from anyone who received a notice.

When Did This Breach Occur?

McDermott Will & Schulte began notifying affected individuals on August 28, 2026 that their data had been accessed. The exact window during which the unauthorized party had access to the firm’s systems has not been made public.

What Information Was Breached?

The notice filed with the Vermont Attorney General indicates that the exposed information included Social Security numbers and health records. Both of these data types are considered highly sensitive because they can be used to commit tax fraud, open new lines of credit, and file fraudulent medical claims in a victim’s name.

What You Can Do

If you received a notice from McDermott Will & Schulte, consider taking the following steps:

• Read the notice carefully and keep a copy for your records
• Enroll in any free credit monitoring or identity protection services offered
• Place a fraud alert or security freeze with the major credit bureaus
• Monitor your bank and credit card statements for unfamiliar activity
• Watch for phishing emails or calls referencing the breach

File a Data Breach Lawsuit Against McDermott Will & Schulte

If your Social Security number or health records were exposed in the McDermott Will & Schulte data breach, you may be entitled to compensation for the harm caused by the loss of your private information.

Contact us at Class Action U, where we’ll connect you with a lawyer skilled in class action lawsuits. If you’ve been contacted about this breach, received notice, or discovered you were impacted, fill out our quick, easy, and secure form to sign up. There is no cost to reach out to our legal partner and no obligation after speaking with someone from our team.