The following civil actions and remedies are authorized under this Act:
The Attorney General may also bring an action in the name of this State, as parens patriae on behalf of persons residing in this State, to recover the damages under this subsection or any comparable federal law. The powers granted in this Section are in addition to and not in derogation of the common law powers of the Attorney General to act as parens patriae.
No provision of this Act shall deny any person who is an indirect purchaser the right to sue for damages. Provided, however, that in any case in which claims are asserted against a defendant by both direct and indirect purchasers, the court shall take all steps necessary to avoid duplicate liability for the same injury including transfer and consolidation of all actions. Provided further that no person shall be authorized to maintain a class action in any court of this State for indirect purchasers asserting claims under this Act , with the sole exception of this State's Attorney General, who may maintain an action parens patriae as provided in this subsection .
Beginning January 1, 1970, a file setting out the names of all special assistant attorneys general retained to prosecute antitrust matters and containing all terms and conditions of any arrangement or agreement regarding fees or compensation made between any such special assistant attorney general and the office of the Attorney General shall be maintained in the office of the Attorney General, open during all business hours to public inspection.
Any action for damages under this subsection is forever barred unless commenced within 4 years after the cause of action accrued, except that, whenever any action is brought by the Attorney General for a violation of this Act, the running of the foregoing statute of limitations, with respect to every private right of action for damages under the subsection which is based in whole or in part on any matter complained of in the action by the Attorney General, shall be suspended during the pendency thereof, and for one year thereafter. No cause of action barred under existing law on July 21, 1965 shall be revived by this Act. In any action for damages under this subsection the court may, in its discretion, award reasonable fees to the prevailing defendant upon a finding that the plaintiff acted in bad faith, vexatiously, wantonly or for oppressive reasons.
740 ILCS 10/7