Matthew P. Walsh II

Matthew Walsh concentrates his practice in complex litigation with particular emphasis in the areas of construction, commercial, employment, municipal, medical malpractice and religious institutions liability. He is an accomplished and experienced trial lawyer, having tried more than 25 jury trials to verdict.

Mr. Walsh's practice includes the representation of construction companies and national retailers in complex property damage, personal injury and employment litigation.

Mr. Walsh has also represented state and local officials in tort and civil rights litigation in his capacity as a special Cook County State’s Attorney.

Mr. Walsh represents numerous Illinois hospitals, doctors and religious organizations in complex litigation, and leads a team of attorneys who conduct internal investigations at hospitals, municipalities, religious organizations and companies to identify potential criminal and civil exposure. In addition, Mr. Walsh has handled numerous high-profile and high-exposure alleged sexual abuse matters on behalf of  school districts, religious orders, medical and mental health facilities.

Mr. Walsh also is general counsel for several multimillion-dollar companies, where he manages, coordinates and directs all legal activities, including the drafting of contracts and the handling of commercial litigation, trademark and copyright issues and employment disputes.

Mr. Walsh joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP as an associate in December 1999 and was quickly promoted to non-capital partner in July 2002. In July 2006, he was promoted to capital partner, making him one of the youngest capital partners in the firm. Mr. Walsh is a member of the firm's Executive Committee and is also the Business Development Leader of the Business Litigation Practice Group.

Before joining Hinshaw, Mr. Walsh served as a prosecutor for more than seven years in the Cook County State's Attorney's office. While there, he tried hundreds of felony and misdemeanor cases, including more than 20 murder trials.

Additionally, Mr. Walsh was a Supervisor in the Felony Review Unit of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, where he was responsible for a team of Assistant State's Attorneys who investigated, analyzed and approved felony cases throughout the city of Chicago.

• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Board of Directors, 2017 – 2025
• Chicago Bar Association
  • Board of Managers, 2022 – 2024
• Illinois Bar Association
• Chicago Inn of Court
• Celtic Legal Society of Chicago
  • Treasurer
  • Board Member
  • President,  2010 – 2011
• Supreme Court of the State of Illinois
  • Committee on Character and Fitness, 2007 – 2017
• Cook County State's Attorney's Office
  • Alumni and Reunion Committee, Co-Chairman,  2008 – Present

• Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for Construction Law, 2025
• Member of the Walsh Family inducted into the Irish American Hall of Fame, Class of 2023
• Recognized as a "BTI Client Service All-Star," 2019
• Featured Litigation Columnist, Salon Today, 2015
• Featured Litigation Columnist: InsideCounsel, 2012
• Selected by his peers and named by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer Magazine as one of the top "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch," 2004
• Rated by Martindale-Hubbell for ethics and legal ability
• Recognized by his peers as a "Leading Lawyer" in the areas of Commercial Litigation; Construction; Construction Litigation; Governmental, Municipal, Lobbying & Administrative Law; Medical Malpractice Defense; and Professional Malpractice Defense

Throughout his career, Mr. Walsh has been involved in many high-profile jury trials. Several of his successful verdicts include:

• Mr. Walsh represented a large Illinois health system in a lawsuit, which received significant media attention, stemming from an alleged breach of private health information from a hospital system. In closing, plaintiff asked for $10 million in compensatory and $50 million in punitive damages. After a 4 week jury trial and 6 hours of deliberations, jury returned a complete verdict for our client and awarded zero damages.

• Mr. Walsh represented a banking executive who was accused of attempting to board an airplane while knowingly in possession of a loaded handgun — a felony. Following trial, his client was found not guilty.
• Mr. Walsh obtained a favorable verdict for St. Mary's of Nazareth Hospital following a two-week complex medical malpractice jury trial in which plaintiffs sought $3.5 million in damages for the death of a psychiatric patient.
• Mr. Walsh was one of the trial attorneys successfully representing the Cook County Sheriff's Office in the case of Fields v. Byrne, a high-profile civil rights case filed by four inmates housed in the Cook County Department of Corrections alleging excessive force by numerous correctional officers. After a three-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
• Mr. Walsh was one of the trial attorneys successfully representing Northwest Community Hospital in the case of O'Donnell v. Northwest Community Hospital, a premises liability case in which plaintiffs sought more than $2 million in damages. After a two-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the hospital.
• Mr. Walsh was one of the trial attorneys successfully representing an Assistant Cook County Public Defender in Johnson v. Halloran, a case of first impression in Illinois involving a legal malpractice claim against an Assistant Public Defender for his representation of an individual who was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to 36 years in prison. Four years later, he was pardoned by then Illinois Governor James Edgar based upon exculpatory DNA evidence. Plaintiff alleged that the assistant public defender failed to investigate and present biological evidence at trial, and asked for $4 million in damages. After a two-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of his clients.

Mr. Walsh has lectured on trial technique and strategy at Chicago-Kent College of Law, DePaul University College of Law, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, the American Bar Association, and Hinshaw University's Trial Advocacy Program.

• Co-Presenter, "Post Pandemic Office Policy Committee Report," Law Practice Management & Technology Committee, Chicago Bar Association, Webinar, September 24, 2024

• Co-Author, Chapters 3 and 4, Dramshop Act Practice, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2024 Edition
• "Understanding Intellectual Property Rights," author, Salon Today, December 1, 2015
• "Protecting Your Greatest Asset with a Non-Compete Agreement," author, Salon Today, November 9, 2015
• "Structuring Your Business," author, Salon Today, October 16, 2015

• Marillac St. Vincent Family Services, Board Member
• Village of Indian Head Park, Illinois, three-time elected Trustee (2002–2016); Acting Mayor
• Village of Indian Head Park, Illinois, Former Co-Chairman of the Village's Planning and Zoning Committee
• Alexian Foundation, Board Member