Profile
Representative Matters
Presentations
Publications

Jennifer Kalas is a litigator whose practice focuses on consumer and class action matters, as well as life, health, and disability ERISA litigation in Indiana and Illinois. She has extensive experience in handling ERISA and bad faith litigation cases in various states such as Florida, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. Her ERISA practice includes managed care claims related to commercial payor disputes regarding underpayments and denials based on medical necessity. Jennifer represents both in-network and out-of-network providers in these disputes. Additionally, she handles matters involving auto accidents, premises liability, wrongful death litigation, and bad faith insurance disputes. She is experienced in employment litigation and general tort defense, including wrongful death and asbestos litigation.

Professional Affiliations

  • Bohemian Lawyers' Association of Chicago
  • Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana
  • Lake County Bar Association, Former Member
    • Past Secretary 
    • Treasurer
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Local Rules Committee

Honors & Awards

  • Rated by Martindale-Hubbell for ethics and legal ability
  • Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, 2023 – 2024

Representative Matters

A selection of Ms. Kalas's reported cases includes:

  • Wertz v. Asset Acceptance, LLC, 5 N.E.3d 1174 (Ind. App. 2014)
  • Hale v. SS Liquors, ___ N.E.2d ___ (Ind. App. 2011)
  • Johnson v. Blackwell, 885 N.E.2d 25 (Ind. App. 2008)
  • Moreton v. Auto-Owners Ins., 859 N.E.2d 1252 (Ind. App. 2007)
  • Rosentrater v. Rosentrater, 708 N.E.2d 628 (Ind. App. 1999)
  • Biereichel v. Smith, 693 N.E.2d (Ind. App. 1998)
  • Biereichel v. Smith, 704 N.E.2d 456 (Ind. App. 1998)
  • Alonso v. City of Hammond, 648 N.E.2d 1221 (Ind. App. 1995)

Presentations

  • Co-Presenter, "Engineering Statutes and Rules for Indiana Professional Engineers," Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, Webinar, May 27, 2020
  • Co-Presenter, "Professional Engineering Practice Act and Rules for Indiana PE's," Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, Webinar, May 9, 2018
  • Co-Presenter, "Reflection on the Shipley v. Tyco Case & the Myriad of Issues Presented," ICLEF Advanced Worker's Compensation: A Masters Series Seminar CLE, March 7, 2018
  • "Indiana Statutes and Rules for Professional Engineers," webinar, Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, Springfield, Illinois, May 2016
  • "Professional Engineering Practice Act and Rules for Indiana PE's," Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, May 2014
  • "Ethics Rules for Indiana Professional Engineers," Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, Webinar, April 2012

News

J.D., summa cum laude, Valparaiso University School of Law, 1993

  • Articles Editor, Valparaiso University Law Review

B.S., summa cum laude, University of Evansville, 1989