Matt Kalinowski: From Big Law to Global Head of Litigation | Ep 13

Matt Kalinowski has spent more than two decades navigating complex litigation, regulatory challenges, and legal leadership within the financial services industry. After beginning his legal career at Morgan Lewis, Matt transitioned in-house at Deutsche Bank, where he worked through a period of significant mortgage-backed securities litigation. He later joined MUFG before becoming Global Head of Litigation at Computershare, a financial services company with more than 11,000 employees worldwide. In Episode 14 of Alias Expert Interviews, host Michael Collins sits down with Matt to discuss the evolution from law firm associate to corporate legal executive, the changing role of in-house litigation teams, and why sound judgment and business context are essential to effective legal leadership. They discuss: Matt's path from a technology startup to law school and litigation Transitioning from Big Law to in-house counsel Managing complex litigation and regulatory matters in financial services Why in-house litigation teams do far more than manage outside counsel How smaller legal disputes can reveal larger operational and compliance risks The role of internal investigations and the challenge of making decisions with incomplete information How AI is changing legal productivity, outside counsel relationships, and the billable-hour model Why trust and relationships remain difficult to measure but essential to legal leadership Balancing litigation strategy with business priorities The importance of institutional knowledge and understanding how a company operates Why good legal judgment matters more than hours worked Developing the next generation of lawyers as technology changes the profession Career lessons on mentorship, adaptability, and maintaining perspective Throughout the conversation, Matt explains how effective litigation leadership extends well beyond responding to lawsuits. It requires anticipating risk, understanding the business, working across departments, and helping executives make informed decisions when the answers aren't always clear. It's a conversation about judgment, trust, risk, and the evolving role of legal leadership in an increasingly complex financial and technological environment.