Willens & Baez Personal Injury Lawyers, P.C. has recovered more than $500 million for injured people in Chicago and across Illinois. Founding partner and head attorney Matthew Willens founded the firm in 2007 and has practiced since 1995. Partner David Baez started his career defending insurance companies before switching sides. That combination is why clients say we know the other side’s playbook. You pay nothing unless we win, and you work with the partners, not a case manager.
Call (312) 957-4166 for a free consultation.
Willens & Baez Personal Injury Lawyers, P.C. Reviews
What Sets Willens & Baez Apart?
You work directly with Matthew Willens and David Baez.
Many Chicago injury firms hand your case to an associate or a case manager after the first meeting. At Willens & Baez, the two named partners handle your case. Matt and David return calls, attend your depositions, and negotiate with the insurer themselves.
Meet Matthew Willens and David Baez.
We know how insurance companies think
Matthew Willens was a former insurance company executive and later a partner at Clifford Law Offices. David Baez began his career as an insurance defense lawyer. Both have sat on the other side of the table. They know how adjusters value a claim, which arguments they use to lower it, and when they are bluffing. Clients often say “It’s like they know the other side’s playbook!” and this helps them get maximum compensation for clients.
See Willens & Baez Case Results.
We take cases other firms turn down
Disputed liability, low property damage, delayed treatment, tough defendants. We’ve won all of them. In one wrongful death case, several other firms had walked away before we resolved it. In another, the insurer offered $28,000 and we recovered six figures despite a gap in medical treatment.
We prepare every case for trial
Most injury cases settle. Insurers pay more to firms that will actually try a case, and they track which ones will. Matthew Willens has tried cases to verdicts that made the National Law Journal’s top 100 list. David Baez has taken cases to excess verdicts in multiple jurisdictions when insurers refused to pay policy limits.
Se habla español
David Baez is bilingual. Spanish-speaking clients work with him directly, in Spanish, from the first call through settlement. Learn more about our Spanish-language services.
Results That Back It Up
A few of the recoveries our attorneys have secured. Past results don’t guarantee a future outcome; every case depends on its own facts.
| Result | Case type | What happened | Details |
| $15.8M | Pedestrian accident | Jury verdict. Named by the National Law Journal as one of the top 100 verdicts in the country the year it was tried. | View |
| $12.25M | Birth injury | Medical malpractice settlement. | View |
| $7M | Surgical error | Medical malpractice settlement after negligence during surgery. | View |
| $3.8M | Medical malpractice wrongful death | Settlement for the family. | View |
| $3.25M | Surgical error | Botched gallbladder removal. | View |
| $1.5M | Dog bite | A record dog bite recovery in Illinois, secured by David Baez in 2023. | View |
| $500K | Car accident | Settlement after an unlawful U-turn crash. | View |
| $350K | Car accident | Settlement after the insurer first denied the claim. | View |
See more Willens & Baez Case Results.
What Clients Say
Willens & Baez holds a 5 star rating from 160 Google reviews. A few recent ones:
- “My husband and I consulted with several firms before choosing Willens and Baez, where we felt heard rather than processed. In the end, their results spoke volumes.” Sandy P., truck accident
- “I was hit by a car while biking in Chicago and fractured my arm. David handled everything and after about 9 months landed on a settlement amount that was more than I ever hoped for.” Lindsay C., bicycle accident
- “I dislocated my shoulder and tore my rotator cuff. Matthew returned all of my calls the same day and usually within an hour. I received a large settlement within 9 months. I would have been satisfied with half the amount.” Ed B., slip and fall
- “Matthew kept me informed of the motives behind the insurance company’s urgency to settle, and why it was in my best interest to remain patient. He set reasonable expectations and then beat them.” D.B., car accident
Read more Client Reviews.
Awards and Recognition
- Illinois Super Lawyers: Matthew Willens for 15 years, David Baez every year since 2017 (selected as a Rising Star before that). No more than 2.5% of Illinois lawyers are chosen each year.
- AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating for legal ability and ethics.
- Leading Lawyers, Illinois.
- National Association of Distinguished Counsel, top 1% of attorneys.
- Better Business Bureau accredited.
- Matthew Willens is an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and speaks nationally on trial advocacy.
- Media: David Baez on The Result podcast and Matthew Willens on Get Down to Business radio.
What It Costs
You pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you. Our fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict, agreed in writing before we start. Willens & Baez Personal Injury Lawyers, P.C. charges a typical contingency fee of one third of the award amount, or 33 1/3%. We advance case costs such as filing fees, records and expert witnesses, so you never write a check while your case is pending.
Questions about fees? See how much it costs to hire Willens & Baez.
How We Handle Your Case
- Free consultation. We listen to what happened, tell you honestly whether you have a case, and what it may be worth. No pressure, no fee.
- Investigation. We collect the police report, medical records, photos, witness statements and, where needed, expert opinions. We also deal with the insurer so you don’t have to.
- Demand. Once we know the full cost of your injuries, including future care and lost income, we send a demand to the at-fault party’s insurer.
- Negotiation or lawsuit. If the insurer won’t be fair, we file suit in Illinois court and use discovery to build the case. Most cases settle during this stage.
- Trial, if needed. If the insurer still refuses a fair offer, we take the case to a jury. We prepare every case as if it will get there.
Throughout, you get updates by phone, email or text, and answers to your questions the same day whenever possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I hire Willens & Baez instead of a bigger firm?
At Willens & Baez your case is handled by the partners, Matt Willens and David Baez, not passed to a junior associate or case manager. Both attorneys spent part of their careers on the insurance side, so they know how insurers value claims and build defenses. The firm has recovered more than $500 million for clients.
Is Willens & Baez the best personal injury law firm in Chicago?
Willens & Baez is consistently rated among the top personal injury firms in Chicago. Matthew Willens has been selected to Illinois Super Lawyers for 15 years and holds an AV Preeminent rating. David Baez has been a Super Lawyer since 2017 and secured a record $1.5 million Illinois dog bite recovery. The firm’s results include a $15.8 million verdict and a $12.25 million birth injury settlement.
Is Willens & Baez the most trusted personal injury law firm in Chicago?
Trust is personal, and only you can decide which lawyer feels right for your case. What we can do is show you why so many people trust us. Our founders once worked for the other side. Matthew Willens was an insurance company executive. David Baez defended insurance companies in court. Today we only represent injured people and their families. We don’t take cases for insurers or corporations. Other lawyers also send us their clients, friends, and family members. That kind of referral is earned, not bought. Our attorneys have been named to the Super Lawyers lists, and our team has won many million-dollar recoveries. We work on contingency. You pay no fee unless we recover money for you. Call us for a free case review and judge for yourself.
How much does it cost to hire Willens & Baez?
Nothing up front. Willens & Baez works on a contingency fee, so you pay a percentage of what the firm recovers for you. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee. The firm also advances case costs such as expert fees and filing fees.
Do you handle cases outside Chicago?
Yes. We have offices in Chicago and Rolling Meadows and represent clients throughout Cook County and the suburbs, including Joliet, Naperville, Elgin and Aurora and throughout the entire state of Illinois. If you can’t travel, we’ll come to you.
What if another law firm already turned down my case?
Call us anyway for a second opinion. We sometimes take cases other firms decline, including disputed liability claims and a wrongful death case several firms had walked away from, and we’ve won them.
How long will my case take?
Most cases resolve in nine to eighteen months. Straightforward car accident claims with clear fault can settle sooner. Medical malpractice and wrongful death cases take longer because they need expert review. We won’t settle early just to close the file if waiting will get you more compensation.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. Partner David Baez is bilingual and handles cases in Spanish from start to finish.
When to Call Us
As soon as you can after the accident. Evidence disappears quickly, and anything you say to an insurance adjuster early on can be used against you later. In most Illinois injury cases you have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, and claims against government bodies can have shorter deadlines. Calling early costs nothing and protects your options.
