Matthiesen Wickert & Lehrer

What Matthiesen Wickert & Lehrer does

Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. (MWL) is a privately held, Wisconsin-domiciled professional corporation and national insurance law firm founded in 1990, headquartered in Hartford, Wisconsin, with regional offices in New Orleans, Irvine (California), Austin, and Jacksonville. The firm's core practice is nationwide insurance subrogation across all major lines — personal lines, workers' compensation, fire, group health, casualty, fidelity and surety bonds, automobile, inland and ocean marine, ERISA, longshore and harbor workers' compensation, and aviation — supported by defense litigation and insurance coverage analysis practices. MWL serves as panel counsel for more than 250 insurance carriers, third-party administrators (TPAs), and self-insured entities, and its platform is anchored by a 35-year-accumulated subrogation research bank, a database of more than 25,000 expert witnesses, and 50-state reference charts used as authoritative references by the industry and courts.

The firm's underlying technology is a curated knowledge infrastructure rather than a software platform: an extensive subrogation case-law research repository, expert witness archive, and interactive 50-state laws map, complemented by five published jurisdictional treatises (auto, workers' comp, ERISA/health, insurance coverage, and livestock/vehicle collisions) distributed through Juris Publishing, a podcast network, and a Texas CE-accredited webinar-based Litigation College. Revenue is generated through three fee models — contingency ("no fee unless we win"), hourly, and hybrid arrangements that convert from hourly investigation to contingency upon suit filing — with mediation billed at $275 per hour split between parties and blended/budgeted fee structures available for predictable cost control. No public revenue, funding, or valuation is disclosed, and the firm operates without parent company, private equity, or venture capital involvement.

Go-to-market is direct sales-led: MWL maintains attorney-to-claimant relationships with insurance carrier claims departments and TPAs, supplemented by referrals from existing clients and industry networks, and leverages a national network of contracted local counsel firms to deliver single-point-of-contact representation across all 50 states. Marketing is built on content and community channels — the Subrogation Support Network Podcast, monthly newsletters with archives spanning nearly three decades, LinkedIn and other social platforms, and the MWL Subrogation and Insurance Litigation College — which function both as lead generation and as defensive moat-building against competitor entry.

Name

Matthiesen Wickert & Lehrer

Legal name

Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C.

Website

https://mwl-law.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. is a national insurance subrogation and defense litigation law firm serving 250+ insurance carriers, TPAs, and self-insured entities across all 50 states from five U.S. offices. It monetizes through contingency, hourly, and hybrid fee arrangements supported by a 35-year proprietary research database and published treatises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Subrogation and Defense Legal Services

NAICS

Other Insurance Related Activities (52429), Claims Adjusting (524291)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Injury & Insurance Defense (BPAHAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Subrogation, Recovery & Coordination of Benefits (COB) Support (BPAAAFAG)

Keywords

• Insurance subrogation
• Insurance defense litigation
• Insurance coverage analysis
• Subrogation recovery services
• Insurance law firm

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Subrogation Representation Fees: Contingency fee arrangements where clients pay only if MWL wins ('no fee unless we win'), hourly fee arrangements, or hybrid combinations where files are investigated on an hourly basis and converted to contingency upon suit filing with credit for hourly fees.
2. Defense and Coverage Work: Competitive hourly rates for nationwide defense and coverage matters, providing detailed breakdown and description of all actions taken on behalf of clients.
3. Blended/Budgeted Fees: Predictable fee structures including blended, tiered, and budgeted fees for particular matters, with fee cap targets whereby predetermined fee levels are established unless client permission is granted to exceed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. is a national insurance law firm providing Nationwide Insurance Subrogation Services across all 50 states covering personal lines, workers' compensation, fire, group health, casualty, fidelity and surety bonds, automobile, marine, ERISA, LHWCA, aviation, and hospital liens. The firm complements subrogation with Defense Litigation Services for self-insured corporations, insurers, reinsurers, and policyholders; Insurance Coverage Analysis and Disputes; and Mediation Services, all delivered through a coordinated network of local counsel and supported by an internal subrogation research bank and 25,000+ expert witness database.

Product overview

Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. is a national insurance law firm offering a unified platform of legal services centered on insurance subrogation, defense litigation, and insurance coverage. The core offering is Nationwide Insurance Subrogation Services, supported by Defense Litigation and Insurance Coverage Analysis modules. The firm extends its platform through supplementary resources including five published legal treatises (Automobile Insurance Subrogation, Fundamentals of Insurance Coverage, Workers' Compensation Subrogation, ERISA and Health Insurance Subrogation, and Livestock/Vehicle Collisions books), the Subrogation Support Network Podcast, 50-state Reference Charts, a Webinar-based Litigation College, monthly Newsletters, an Interactive 50-State Laws Map, and Mediation Services. These products collectively serve insurance carriers, TPAs, and self-insured entities seeking subrogation recovery and coverage dispute resolution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Subrogation Support Network: Podcast hosted by Attorney Ashton Kirsch providing subrogation professionals with effective strategies and insightful tips.
• Risky Business Podcast
• MWL Subrogation and Insurance Litigation College

Products and services

• Nationwide Insurance Subrogation Services Full-service insurance subrogation legal representation across all 50 states, handling personal lines, workers' compensation, fire, group health, casualty, fidelity and surety bonds, automobile, inland and ocean marine, ERISA, longshore and harbor workers' compensation, aviation, hospital liens, and other lines of subrogation for insurance carriers, TPAs, and self-insured entities.
• Defense Litigation Services Insurance defense litigation services for self-insured corporations, insurers, reinsurers and policyholders, covering complex product liability, construction defect, premises liability, automobile collisions, civil rights, bad faith, wrongful death, and environmental claims.
• Insurance Coverage Analysis and Disputes Analysis and resolution of insurance policy coverage disputes, including first-party and third-party coverage analysis, policy interpretation, coverage opinions, and litigation of coverage issues through trial and appeal.
• Mediation Services Conflict resolution and mediation services conducted by trained impartial mediators, serving civil matters, insurance coverage disputes, subrogation, contract issues, landlord/tenant, business disputes, professional liability, personal injury, and bad faith disputes. Priced at $275 per hour split between parties.
• Automobile Insurance Subrogation: In All 50 States (Book) Comprehensive legal treatise covering every aspect of automobile insurance subrogation across all 50 states, including PIP, Med Pay, UM/UIM, property claims, deductible reimbursement, and no-fault subrogation. Published by Juris Publishing, Inc.
• Fundamentals of Insurance Coverage In All 50 States (Book) Nationwide insurance coverage treatise serving as the insurance industry's comprehensive reference on coverage issues, covering state and federal statutes, regulations, and case law across all 50 states. Published by Juris Publishing, Inc.
• Workers' Compensation Subrogation In All 50 States (Book) Comprehensive treatise covering workers' compensation subrogation law, including statutory employer defenses, exclusive remedy rule exceptions, borrowed servant issues, and LHWCA/DBA matters across all 50 states. Published by Juris Publishing, Inc.
• ERISA and Health Insurance Subrogation In All 50 States (Book) Detailed treatise covering ERISA and health insurance subrogation, combining state law analysis with federal ERISA applications from all 12 Federal Circuits. Published by Juris Publishing, Inc.
• "Where's The Beef?" Subrogating Livestock/Vehicle Collisions In All 50 States (Book) Specialized treatise covering subrogation law for livestock/vehicle collisions, addressing state and county-level stock laws and liability of livestock owners across all 50 states. Published by Juris Publishing, Inc.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Clyde & Co LLP: Global law firm with one of the largest insurance and reinsurance practices worldwide. Comparable in insurance coverage and subrogation work, with broader geographic and practice footprint.
• Sedgwick (Subrogation Services): Global claims management provider that includes subrogation recovery services as part of a much broader claims and managed-care portfolio. Comparable as a subrogation service competitor but at significantly greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin: National insurance defense and coverage firm with a substantial subrogation practice serving carriers and self-insureds across all 50 states. Closest comparable in practice mix, client base, and multi-office delivery model.
• Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP: AmLaw-ranked national firm with a dedicated insurance practice covering defense, coverage, and subrogation matters. Comparable as a large-scale insurance litigation competitor with nationwide reach.
• Tyson & Mendes LLP: Insurance defense firm known for outcome-based fee arrangements and coverage work for insurers and self-insureds. Directly comparable in fee-model innovation and insurance-carrier client base.
• Anderson Kill P.C. Boutique firm specializing in insurance coverage and recovery matters, including subrogation, for corporate policyholders and insurers. Closely comparable in subrogation and insurance coverage focus.
• Rivkin Radler LLP: Insurance coverage and defense firm with a notable insurance recovery practice serving carriers and self-insureds. Comparable in coverage opinion and insurance litigation work.
• Deutsch Kerrigan & Stiles LLP: Insurance defense and coverage firm with strong subrogation practice serving national carriers. Comparable in practice mix and client base, particularly for casualty and commercial lines subrogation.
• Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP: National insurance services firm with deep coverage and defense capabilities serving insurers and self-insureds. Comparable in multi-jurisdictional insurance litigation delivery.

Emerging players

• Alacrity Solutions (formerly The Phia Group / subrogation recovery arm): Third-party subrogation and claims recovery services provider serving insurance carriers and TPAs. Comparable in subrogation recovery delivery model and carrier client base, but as a non-law-firm service vendor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MWLSubro
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFhNXAOOksoD1lzRPS437PQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/mwl.law
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matthiesen-wickert-&-lehrer-s-c-
• Instagraminstagram.com/mwlsubroknowitall

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Matthiesen Wickert & Lehrer