Overview

As a commercial litigator and counselor with more than 20 years of experience, Matt brings a creative, pragmatic, and efficient approach to helping clients resolve complex legal and business problems.

Matt is co-chair of the firm’s Litigation Group. He has significant, first-chair trial experience in a wide variety of business disputes. He regularly represents clients in matters involving breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, non-competes, and post-closing disputes. Matt also advises clients on corporate compliance and ethics, commercial contract, and employment matters. 

Matt is also Chair of BFKN’s Insurance Coverage Group and regularly handles high-stakes insurance coverage matters for policyholders. Matt helps clients understand their insurance coverage and formulates strategies to maximize their insurance recovery, whether through a claims process, arbitration, or litigation. He advises clients in various industries regarding coverage under many types of policies, including commercial general liability, errors and omissions, cyber, environmental, property, employment practices liability, and representations and warranties.

Matt has been ranked consistently among the top lawyers in Illinois for his insurance coverage practice, including having been selected by The Best Lawyers in America© and the Leading Lawyers Network.

Pro bono work is also an important part of Matt’s practice. He has handled medical needs, unlawful arrest, asylum, and immigration matters for clients.

Credentials

Admissions

  • State of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court - Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)
  • U.S. District Court - Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - 7th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - 9th Circuit

Clerkships

  • Hon. James F. Holderman, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (2002-2004)

Education

  • University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2002
  • Western Illinois University, B.B., summa cum laude, 1999

Experience

Matt represents clients across many industries in (1) claims and litigation for insurance coverage under a variety of policies, including the types of representative matters below; (2) post-closing disputes, requiring an understanding of complex accounting and financial issues, including those profiled below; and (3) other business litigation of the type listed below. 

Insurance Coverage

  • An arbitration regarding the duty to defend an underlying software misappropriation lawsuit and estoppel issues.
  • Coverage litigation regarding data protection and business interruption losses under a cyber policy stemming from a ransomware attack on the policyholder.
  • Extortion and cyber extortion claims under a kidnap and ransom policy.
  • Litigation concerning coverage for costs in responding to a government subpoena.
  • Coverage litigation regarding reasonable rates for independent defense counsel and duty to defend defensive action brought by policyholder.
  • A declaratory judgment action involving “personal injury” coverage for disparagement.
  • Claims for coverage on behalf of manufacturers, retailers, and service providers for hundreds of millions of dollars in potential liability for asbestos, talc, benzene, and opioid claims.
  • Property damage and business interruption losses stemming from events such as fires and natural disasters.

Post-Closing Disputes

  • The sellers of a multi-million-dollar environmental sustainability education company in a post-closing dispute alleging fraud, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, conversion, and violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
  • A private equity firm in multiple post-closing disputes, including those involving alleged securities fraud, fraudulent inducement, and breaches of contractual representations and warranties.
  • A technology company buyer against claims of breach of contract and seeking indemnification from the sellers for alleged breaches of representations and warranties in the purchase agreement.
  • A large public corporation in numerous post-closing disputes over earn-outs, working capital, and financial and environmental-related representations and warranties, including as first-chair for a multi-week arbitration.

Business Litigation

  • Retail and transportation companies in commercial and employment class actions, including TCPA class actions alleging unlawful faxing practices and an FLSA wage-and-hour collective action asserting unpaid overtime.
  • An asset management company and some of its clients against claims of fraudulent conveyance in multidistrict litigation stemming from the Tribune Company bankruptcy.
  • A REIT in litigation concerning breach of a master lease and fraudulent conveyance.
  • A freight brokerage company in Carmack Amendment, breach of contract, and tort litigation. 
  • A specialty pharmacy in an action involving alleged breach of non-solicitation provisions. 
  • A healthcare technology company in a matter alleging breach of a services contract. 
  • A retail property owner and manager in claims regarding overcharges under electricity contracts.

Newsroom

Speaking Engagements

  • Protecting Attorney-Client Privilege/Work Product & Confidential Communications
  • Independent Defense Counsel: Rate Caps, Guidelines, and Deductions (Oh, My!)
  • Privilege & Work Product Issues Facing In-House Counsel
  • Key Contractual Clauses: Strategic Considerations for Drafting from a Litigator’s Perspective
  • Northern District of Illinois Mandatory Initial Discovery Pilot Project ("MIDP")
  • Privilege & Work Product: What In-house Counsel Are Asking and What Outside Counsel Can Do To Help
  • Discovery in Federal Court: The 2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and E-Discovery Considerations, Pincus Federal Court Boot Camp
  • Privilege and the In-House Attorney
  • 05/5/16, 05/18/16
    Privilege Issues Facing In-House Counsel
  • Discovery and E-Discovery in Federal Court, Pincus Federal Court Boot
  • Corporate Compliance and Ethics Hot Topics
  • The 2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

Recognitions

  • Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys, Crain’s Chicago Business (2023)
  • Best Lawyer, The Best Lawyers in America© (2022-2025)
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Insurance Law
  • Leading Lawyers Network (2017-2024)
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Insurance, Insurance Coverage & Reinsurance Law
  • Super Lawyer, Illinois Super Lawyers (2016-2024)
  • Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (2023-Present)
  • Western Illinois University Alumni Achievement Award (2014)
  • "Forty Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch," Chicago Lawyer and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (2013)
  • bl_bills2025
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