Weber Gallagher Welcomes Partner Matthew Kalas

CHICAGO —  May 11, 2026 — Weber Gallagher is pleased to announce that Matthew Kalas has joined the firm as a Partner in its Chicago office, further strengthening the firm’s insurance coverage and complex litigation capabilities in the Midwest.

Kalas joins Weber Gallagher just weeks after the firm completed its combination with Karbal, Cohen, Economou, Silk & Dunne (“KCESD”), a milestone that coincided with the third anniversary of Weber Gallagher’s Chicago office. Together, these additions reflect the firm’s continued investment in building a deep, experienced insurance coverage platform in Chicago to serve regional and national clients.

“Welcoming Matthew so soon after the KCESD combination and on the heels of our Chicago office anniversary highlights the momentum we have in this market,” said Denise DePekary, Insurance Managing Partner at Weber Gallagher. “Matthew’s background and experience add meaningful depth to the work we do for insurers and reinsurers.”

In Chicago, Kalas joins the attorneys from KCESD, along with Weber Gallagher Partners Neal Novak, Colleen Costello, and Joseph Royster, further enhancing the firm’s collaborative insurance coverage and litigation team in the market.

Kalas focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and insurance coverage matters, with particular emphasis on aviation, transportation, product liability, and catastrophic loss claims. He represents domestic and international insurers, reinsurers, manufacturers, owners, and service providers in high-exposure litigation pending in state and federal courts across the United States and abroad.

Kalas, a former aerospace engineer, has extensive experience defending clients in cross-border and multi-jurisdictional matters arising from aviation accidents, rail and transportation incidents, mass disasters, and wrongful death claims. His work includes managing discovery and motion practice, coordinating foreign litigation and local counsel, advising on choice-of-law issues, and overseeing cases through trial and appellate proceedings. He has been involved in the defense of claims arising from numerous international aviation disasters and other large-scale casualty events.

About Weber Gallagher

At Weber Gallagher, lawyers work collaboratively with clients to understand their legal and business needs and develop impactful results for them. The firm encompasses more than 140 legal professionals working interactively in 13 offices across eight states in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and South Florida. Weber Gallagher also serves clients through the WG virtual office, WG Anywhere, in an additional nine states. Weber Gallagher provides legal counseling and representation to local, national, and international businesses, financial institutions, and insurance companies. With a strong commitment to excellent service and innovative solutions, and a dominant reputation, the firm has an exceptional ability to efficiently address clients’ legal and business concerns, distinguishing Weber Gallagher from other law firms.