Matthew Hefner

Matthew T. Heffner brings over 25 years of federal appellate litigation and complex financial analysis experience to family law matters involving business valuations and appellate practice. Having handled appeals in both the Illinois Appellate Courts and multiple federal circuits, Mr. Heffner brings sophisticated appellate skills and complex financial expertise to family law matters that require both rigorous legal analysis and strategic presentation of business valuation evidence.

Mr. Heffner’s appellate experience includes successful arguments before multiple federal circuit courts, in areas involving complex securities, ERISA, and constitutional law, and his appellate work was singled out for praise by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition, Mr. Heffner has successfully authored briefs in Illinois state court regarding preliminary injunctions, business disputes, and family law matters.

In the business valuation arena, Mr. Heffner has extensive experience analyzing and working with experts in valuing closely-held corporations, retirement plans, and publicly traded companies. For example, his Delaware Chancery Court victory in In re PNB Holding Co. Shareholders Litig., CIV.A. 28-N, 2006 WL 2403999 (Del. Ch. Aug. 18, 2006), resulted in a $1.22 million award based largely on his valuation analysis of a closely-held S-Corporation. This experience in business valuation litigation provides a unique perspective for divorce cases involving business interests, where accurate valuation and strategic presentation of financial evidence can make the difference between favorable and unfavorable outcomes.

Mr. Heffner earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law in 1997, where he was awarded the Charles and Elizabeth Tigar Endowed Presidential Scholarship. He completed his undergraduate education at Indiana University, graduating with honors in 1994 as a National Merit Scholar and Arthur R. Metz Scholar.

Areas of Practice

• Family Law Appeals
• Business Valuation in Divorce
• Complex Financial Litigation
• Appellate and Trial Brief Writing and Oral Argument

Education

• University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas, 1997
• Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 1994

Bar Admissions

• State Bar of Illinois
• Federal Trial Bar
• Multiple Federal Circuit Courts

Awards

• Co-Chair, Rule 23 Subcommittee, ABA Class Action and Derivative Suit Division
• AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
• Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service, U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois (2012)