Matthew R. Hess is the Founder and Principal of Hess Law Firm, LLC. He brings over two decades of complex litigation experience to the firm, and primarily focuses his practice on contested estate and trust litigation, probate, trust administration and estate planning. Matt represents clients in the Chicagoland area and throughout Illinois.
A graduate of Marist High School on the Southwest side of Chicago, Matt earned his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2000, double-majoring in Political Science and Finance. He went on to obtain his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2003. He began his career prosecuting complex medical malpractice cases on behalf of injured patients and their families at both the trial court and appellate court levels, in state and federal court. Matt went on to work at a large law firm in downtown Chicago where he represented doctors and hospitals (and their insurance companies) who were being sued for malpractice. Matt has served as lead trial counsel in defamation litigation as well, and has handled countless medical malpractice cases that resulted in favorable jury verdicts at trial.
After spending thirteen years litigating these heartbreaking cases and seeing the ways in which families were impacted by acts of medical and nursing home negligence, Matt decided to open his own law firm so he could help individuals and families in times of need. He realizes that people need a lawyer who can provide aggressive yet compassionate representation during their most difficult times, and Matt dedicates his practice to helping people pursue and protect their rights when disputes arise following the death of a loved one. He also provides general counsel services to small- and medium-sized business owners.
A resident of Plainfield, Illinois, Matt is an avid sports fan, a mediocre golfer, and an aspiring pit master. He has judged KCBS bar-b-que competitions throughout Illinois and Indiana, and enjoys nothing more than feeding slow cooked BBQ to a house full of guests. He also enjoys traveling with his wife, Laura, and learning about cuisines and wine from all around the world.
Areas of Practice
- Contested Estate and Trust Litigation
- Civil Litigation and Appeals
- Estate Planning
- Small Business Services
Education
- University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, B.A., 2000
- Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois, J.D., 2003
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Illinois State Bar Association
- DuPage County Bar Association
- Will County Bar Association