About Matthew J.
Matthew J. Haiduk built his legal foundation at Northern Illinois University, where he earned a B.A. in philosophy in 1996. He continued his studies at DePaul College of Law and received his J.D. in 2000. Those years sharpened his interest in courtroom work and the mechanics of criminal law. They also set the stage for a career split between trial-level defense and appellate practice.
He began his career in public defense. In 2001 he served as an assistant at the McHenry County Public Defender’s Office. That early courtroom experience put him on the front lines of criminal representation. It offered regular trial exposure and an introduction to the pressures of client advocacy in contested settings.
After his time in McHenry County, Haiduk expanded his practice to include both state and federal matters. He is admitted to practice in Illinois and Wisconsin and is also admitted to the Seventh Circuit and the Federal Circuit. Those admissions allow him to appear in trial courts and to take appeals to federal appellate panels. The mix of jurisdictions reflects work that crosses trial and appellate lines rather than a single narrow niche.
Haiduk maintains professional ties to the criminal defense bar. He holds membership in the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. That affiliation places him in a network of lawyers who handle a broad range of criminal matters and provides continued access to education and peer review within the field.
Colleagues describe him as steady in the courtroom and exacting in preparation. He has handled matters that require attention to procedural detail as well as those that hinge on in-court advocacy. His path — from philosophy undergraduate to law school graduate to public defender and then to licensed practitioner in multiple jurisdictions — shows a trajectory built on courtroom practice and procedural work.
He handles cases in both state and federal courts and appears in appeals when cases require it. He currently represents clients in criminal matters at trial and on appeal in Illinois and Wisconsin, and he appears in federal courts including the Seventh and Federal Circuits.
