People whose private information was involved in the August 2024 cyberattack on Denver law firm Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC may qualify to claim a cash payment of up to $50, up to $900 in documented identity theft losses or two years of credit monitoring from the SPAL data breach class action settlement. Claims are open through December 28, 2026, and the final approval hearing is set for February 5, 2027.
Current Status
Claims are open. The Denver District Court preliminarily approved the settlement on September 18, 2026, and claims must be submitted online or postmarked by December 28, 2026. The final approval hearing is set for February 5, 2027 at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time. No final approval order has been entered, and no payment date has been announced as of November 4, 2026.Free settlement alerts
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What Changed Recently?
The settlement resolves Freeman, et al. v. Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC, Case No. 2024CV33283, in the District Court for the City and County of Denver, Colorado. The lawsuit alleges that during a targeted cyberattack on the law firm’s computer systems between August 10 and 12, 2024, files were accessed that may have contained names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, state-issued ID numbers, financial account information and health information. SPAL denies any wrongdoing, and the court has not decided who is right.Judge A. Bruce Jones granted preliminary approval on September 18, 2026, adjusting some deadlines to the court’s “rule of seven.” The order notes that a different judge will preside over the final approval hearing, because Judge Jones’s term in the courtroom ends January 11, 2027. The administrator, Simpluris, has sent notices to class members.
Who Qualifies?
The settlement class is all persons whose private information was potentially compromised as a result of the data security incident at SPAL in or around August 2024. The parties’ proposed preliminary approval order put the class at about 5,304 people. SPAL and its officers, directors and related companies, anyone who opts out, the judge and the judge’s family and staff, and anyone who carried out the incident are excluded. According to the settlement website, people who received a notice are class members according to SPAL’s records.How Much Can You Get?
SPAL is paying $455,000 into a non-reversionary fund. Attorneys’ fees and costs (class counsel will ask for up to $145,600), service awards of $2,500 for each of the three class representatives, and administration costs come out first. The rest pays these benefits:- Credit monitoring: two years of CyEx Identity Defense Complete, a one-bureau service with $1 million in identity theft insurance.
- Ordinary losses: up to $100 for documented out-of-pocket costs from the incident between August 10, 2024 and December 28, 2026, such as credit report or credit freeze fees, ID replacement and postage.
- Lost time: up to four hours at $15 an hour, up to $60, with a brief description of the time spent; lost time and ordinary losses together are capped at $100.
- Extraordinary losses: up to $900 for documented identity theft or fraud losses that were more likely than not caused by the incident and that the claimant tried to recover elsewhere, such as through existing insurance.
- Alternative cash payment: instead of every other benefit, a one-time payment of up to $50.
What Proof or Notice ID Is Required?
The online claim form opens only with the Login ID and PIN printed on the notice, so OCA treats this settlement as Proof Required: Yes. The settlement website says class members who cannot find their Login ID and PIN can request them from the administrator by giving their full name and mailing address; contact details are on the settlement website. A paper claim form, which asks for the Login ID “if known,” can also be downloaded and mailed.The $50 cash payment and lost-time claims need no receipts; lost time requires a short description of how the time was spent. Ordinary and extraordinary loss claims require documentation such as receipts. Notes a claimant writes alone are not enough, though they can be sent to explain other proof.
What Is the Deadline?
Online claims must be submitted by December 28, 2026; the settlement agreement sets the online cutoff at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. Mailed claim forms, with any documentation, must be postmarked by December 28, 2026. Requests to be excluded and objections are also due December 28, 2026.How Do You Take Action?
Claims are filed through the official SPAL Data Security Incident Settlement website, using the Login ID and PIN from the notice, or by mailing the paper claim form available there. The claim form asks how the claimant wants to be paid: PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, a virtual prepaid card or a paper check. The site also posts the notice, settlement agreement and important dates.What Happens Next?
The court will hold the final approval hearing on February 5, 2027 at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time in Courtroom 215 of the Denver District Court, where it will decide whether to approve the settlement, the fee request and the service awards. Payments are made only if the court grants final approval and after any appeals are resolved. Under the settlement agreement, SPAL can terminate the deal if more than 10 class members opt out.Class counsel are Finkelstein, Blankinship, Frei-Pearson & Garber, LLP and Levin Sitcoff PC.
Sources and Verification
• Official SPAL Data Security Incident Settlement website, including its FAQ, claim form and Important Dates pages• Order granting preliminary approval, Freeman, et al. v. Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC, No. 2024CV33283 (Denver Dist. Ct.), issued September 18, 2026
• Settlement Agreement and Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement, posted on the official settlement website
Questions
Who is in the Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb data breach settlement?
Everyone whose private information was potentially compromised in the data security incident at Denver law firm Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC (SPAL) in or around August 2024. The parties’ proposed order put the class at about 5,304 people. SPAL’s officers and directors, people who opt out, the judge and anyone found to have carried out the incident are excluded.
Can I get the SPAL $50 payment and credit monitoring?
No. The alternative cash payment of up to $50 is in place of every other benefit, including the two years of credit monitoring. A class member can instead claim credit monitoring together with documented losses and lost time, up to the caps the settlement sets.
Do I need a Login ID to file a SPAL settlement claim?
To file online, yes. The online claim form asks for the Login ID and PIN printed on the notice. Class members who cannot find them can request them from the settlement administrator through the settlement website by giving their full name and mailing address. A paper claim form can also be downloaded and mailed.
When will SPAL settlement payments be made?
Only after the court grants final approval and any appeals are resolved. The final approval hearing is set for February 5, 2027 at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time in Denver. No payment date has been announced. Payments can be taken by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, virtual prepaid card or paper check.
