About Us
Compassionate Advocacy, Proven Results
Your pursuit of justice is our relentless mission
Welcome to Sweetnam Schuster & Schwartz, where our experienced Mass Tort attorneys are dedicated to championing justice for individuals harmed by defective products, pharmaceutical drugs, environmental disasters, and more. With a relentless commitment to our clients, we navigate the complexities of mass tort litigation to secure rightful compensation for those who have suffered.
2,850+
Cases Handled
450+
Appeals Argued
Our Team
Ross Buntrock
Partner
Education
B.S. High Honors, History, South Dakota State University
J.D. University of Nebraska College of Law
CIPP/US (2004)
Court Admission
Virginia
District of Columbia
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circut
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit
Mike Sweetnam
Partner
Mike Sweetnam has extensive experience as lead claims and trial counsel in complex multi million dollar construction and design liability cases throughout the United States and Canada. Mike’s record of success as first chair trial counsel is exceptional. Nonetheless his focus is the cost effective resolution of complex disputes before litigation whenever possible. He also routinely engages in day to day project management issues on behalf of construction industry clients in order to manage risk, minimize claims potential and maximize client profitability. A large part of that effort is the proactive front end drafting and negotiation of complex procurement agreements in the design and construction industry.
Mr. Sweetnam has been engaged in the representation of victims of negligence for over thirty years. He has successfully recovered millions of dollars for his clients as compensation for the injuries and losses they have suffered due to the negligence of third party individuals and corporations. Mike has consistently demonstrated the ability to maximize the value of his clients’ claims and to procure compensation for those claims often at premium levels.
Education
J.D., Emory University School Of Law, 1985 (Robert W. Woodruff Scholar, 1982 to 1985)
B.A., State University Of New York At Binghamton, 1982
Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, British Columbia
Professional and Community Associations
- State Bar Of Georgia
- Catholic Parish Of St. Monica’s, Duluth, Georgia
- Atlanta Renegades Rugby Football Club
Court Admissions
- Georgia
Joseph M. Schuster
Partner
Joseph M. Schuster is an experienced trial lawyer whose practice focuses on international narcotics trafficking, money laundering, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions, white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and complex civil litigation. He is co-counsel in the FCPA-based money laundering prosecution of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab.
Before forming Sweetnam, Schuster & Schwartz, Joe served for over nine years as an Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Department of Justice in both the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida. He successfully tried nearly 20 federal jury trials, represented the government in hundreds of court hearings, and argued before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Joe spent most of his career with the DOJ in the Southern District of Florida’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section where he achieved Top Secret clearance and specialized in counternarcotics, sophisticated money laundering, and public corruption/obstruction of justice prosecutions. In addition to prosecuting leaders of some of the largest Drug Trafficking Organizations in the world, Joe also targeted corrupt foreign law enforcement officers who aided those illegal activities.
During his time at the United States Attorney’s Office, Joe worked extensively throughout Central and South America, forging partnerships with federal law enforcement officers and local counterparts stationed in Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and Brazil. He also investigated Transnational Criminal Organizations operating in Europe, building relationships with agents and foreign law enforcement agencies across the continent. These experiences gave Joe a unique insight into the manner in which the United States works in partnership with multiple law enforcement agencies abroad to investigate criminal organizations, gather evidence, and extradite foreign nationals for prosecution in American courts.
As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Joe also investigated and prosecuted bank fraud, wire fraud, tax fraud, aggravated identity theft, structuring, counterfeiting, immigration offenses, continuing criminal enterprise, bank robbery, commercial robbery, firearm offenses, threats against the President, supervised release violations related to sexual assault and domestic violence, child exploitation, human trafficking, and murder. He received commendations from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Joe worked for several years in the New York office of Dechert, LLP, one of the largest international law firms in the world. As a member of the White Collar & Securities Litigation Group, Joe served as a lead associate in the firm’s representation of clients involved in alleged OFAC violations, securities violations, and civil fraud. He also successfully tried, as co-counsel, a federal murder for hire case in New York. As part of the firm’s pro bono program, Joe represented numerous federal criminal defendants in the Southern District of New York, obtaining favorable results for clients charged with drug trafficking, firearms violations, and immigration offenses.
Education
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 2006
Dean’s Scholar
M.A., with honors, History of International Relations, London School of Economics
and Political Science, 2003B.F.A., with honors, Dramatic Writing, New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, 2000
Court Admissions
Florida
New York
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia (Washington, D.C.)
Ed Schwartz
Partner
Ed Schwartz has practiced law for over 30 years since graduating from Emory University School of Law in 1985. He is a talented attorney that provides strategic advice and consultation in general business and environmental matters. Ed began his practice exclusively as an environmental attorney and, having served in private law firms as well as the US Environmental Protection Agency, has an intimate understanding of the complex array of federal and state environmental laws and regulations. He represents commercial and industrial clients in a full spectrum of environmental matters.
During the past ten years, in addition to his environmental practice, Ed has gained the confidence of many clients to handle a broader range of business matters. In this capacity, Ed is a trusted advisor to businesses of all sizes and works intimately with clients to develop and implement strategies and tactics to prevent business problems and to effectively address and resolve problems if experienced by the business.
Ed has received and maintained the highest possible rating by his fellow environmental professionals, the Martindale Hubble AV preeminent rating, for the past eighteen years.
Ed is admitted to practice in Georgia and Florida. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.
Education
J.D., Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia, June, 1985
Scholarship recipient
Vermont Law School, South Royalton, Vermont, June – August 1984
Specialized courses in environmental law and litigation
B.A., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia , History, March 1982
B.A., History, March 1982
Phi Alpha Theta – International History Honor Society
Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity President
Professional and Community Associations
State Bar of Georgia
State Bar of Florida
Court Admissions
Georgia
Florida
Daniel Fleming
Partner
Daniel Fleming is a dynamic litigator with a broad legal background and extensive experience in all facets of case management. Mr. Fleming has an unwavering commitment to protecting client rights and a proven track record as a high-ranking performer with demonstrated success in cultivating strong connections with clientele. He has represented several large financial institutions, hedge funds, and private equity firms in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters.
Key Clientele:
Represented multiple international banks in their capacity as trustees in actions corresponding to the breach of representations and warranties set forth in securitization agreements.
Represented a television network in an action involving fraud and breach of contract claims against a software company for a deficient warehouse and order operating system.
Represented a liquidation trustee in a multi-district litigation case against financial institutions and manufacturers for unlawful participation/assistance in a Ponzi scheme.
Represented Norwegian municipalities against a global banking institution in a synthetic municipal bond securities litigation.
Oversaw a wide range of legal work for an expansive NYC-based real estate developer, including drafting/negotiating agreements corresponding to professional services, purchase of goods, and licensing.
Pioneered an investigation for an investment firm concerning its relationship with Bernie Madoff-controlled investments and provided advisory on next steps following results of investigation.
Represented a toy manufacturer against claims brought on by a competitor alleging violation of the Lanham Act.
Spearheaded New Jersey legal defense work for a regional restaurant chain.
Provided comprehensive legal counsel to numerous New Jersey municipal entities, including mayors, city councils, and redevelopment agencies.
Education
J.D., Rutgers University School of Law, 2004
B.A., Philosophy, English Literature, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2000
Court Admissions
New York
New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Jared Siegel
Partner
Mr. Siegel focuses his practice on white collar and commercial litigation matters. Prior to joining the firm, Jared was the lead associate on a federal trial involving a complex commercial multimillion-dollar suit. He also assisted on a New York Commercial Division bench trial regarding the validity of a $100 million loan and first-chaired sentencings and plea hearings of federal criminal defendants.
Jared was honored by The Legal Aid Society as one of the recipients of the Society’s 2012 Pro Bono Publico Awards that recognizes the outstanding work of volunteer lawyers who provide exceptional legal services to low-income New Yorkers.
While attending law school, Jared was an articles editor for the Emory Law Review. He clerked for an environmental lawyer and served as a legal intern to the deputy general counsel for a plastics company. He was also a student lawyer for the Environmental Law Clinic.
Education
J.D., with honors, Emory University School of Law, 2010
B.A., magna cum laude, International Affairs, Political Science, University of Georgia, 2007
Honors Program
Court Admissions
New York
New Jersey
Georgia
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
United States District Court for the Western District of New York
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
Jason Coleman
Of Counsel
Mr. Coleman is an experienced attorney in litigation, corporate, and regulatory matters. Prior to joining the firm, Jason served as General Counsel to multiple organizations, worked in private practice as an employment-law litigator, as an assistant attorney general for the state of Tennessee, and as the director of legal affairs for a public-interest think tank. In these roles, he has served as lead counsel, argued before multiple courts, including at the appellate level, authored merits and amicus briefs, written formal opinions, drafted legislation, and reviewed administrative rules prior to their implementation. He has also advised corporate decision-makers, overhauled compensation plans, negotiated commercial agreements and employee contracts, conducted internal investigations, and represented clients before state and municipal regulatory boards.
Education
J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School, 2012
Chancellor’s Law Scholar
B.A., summa cum laude, University of Georgia, 2007, with Honors
Court Admissions
Georgia
Tennessee
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit