Matthew L. Pagano

Matthew Pagano represents licensed professionals across various industries, including individuals and multinational enterprises, assisting his clients in managing risk by providing guidance on ethical practices and compliance with industry-specific laws and regulations. With his proactive approach, Matthew helps his clients avoid legal troubles before they arise. If litigation does occur, Matthew is just as comfortable protecting his clients’ interests in motion practice and at trial, be it for negligence, malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, or anything else. Indeed, judges have repeatedly singled Matthew out for his effective arguments in the courtroom, and his record of success reflects that. Matthew also devotes a portion of his practice to defending major airlines and aviation manufacturers in a diverse array of tort, contract, discrimination, and design defect matters involving commercial aircraft.

Before joining Hinshaw, Matthew defended the interests of corporations from around the world, with billions of dollars at stake in class actions and antitrust litigation. He also spent considerable time helping businesses of all sizes navigate the new legal realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, obtaining reliably positive outcomes despite the often novel questions and circumstances at issue.

While in law school, Matthew worked for the Civil Appellate Division of the Attorney General of Illinois and the Circuit Court of Cook County. He was also captain of the John J. Gibbons Moot Court Team.

• Chicago Bar Association
• Houston Bar Association

• Loyola University Chicago School of Law
  • Dean’s List

• Conference Emcee, Hinshaw's 24th Annual Legal Malpractice & Risk Management Conference (LMRM), Chicago, Illinois, March 4-6, 2025

Matthew is a contributor to Hinshaw's Lawyers for the Profession® alerts, sharing his insights on the latest developments in legal malpractice law.

After graduating from college, Matthew was awarded a post-graduate Fulbright fellowship and spent two years living and working in Austria. While there, he slowly developed an Austrian accent when speaking German – something his German relatives still tease him about. After several visits to Vienna, he cultivated an interest in opera and now frequently attends the Houston Grand Opera and the Chicago Lyric Opera. Matthew also regularly plays Dungeons & Dragons online with attorneys at other prominent law firms around the country.