Matthew W. Breetz
Mr. Breetz has a sophisticated trial practice and regularly appears in courtrooms across Kentucky, Tennessee, and upon occasion, Southern Indiana. He is co-leader of the firm's Torts & Insurance Practice Service Group.
Matt defends numerous professionals, including lawyers, insurance agents and brokers, accountants, debt collectors, engineers, title agents, architects and home inspectors in professional malpractice suits throughout the region. Mr. Breetz has a robust practice representing nurses, nursing homes and a variety of allied health professionals in actions alleging significant personal injury or death. Mr. Breetz has a significant premises liability practice, in the past defending a national chain of restaurants throughout the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. He has comprehensive experience in coordinating the defense of hundreds of complex toxic tort cases throughout the country, working as national counsel for one company in asbestos litigation; in addition, Matt has been included in three asbestos jury trials within the past few years. At any given time, Mr. Breetz will also have cases involving motor carrier litigation.
Mr. Breetz is very well versed in both insurance coverage work as well as bad faith litigation, regularly counseling carriers on such issues and defending such clients as necessary.
Slow Death of the Tripartite Relationship
Spring 2025 National Legal Malpractice Conference, Charlotte, NC, April 2-4, 2025
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
Moderator, 2024 DRI Professional Liability Seminar, New York City, NY, December 5, 2024
Ethical Issues for Today’s Litigator
speaker, 2024 Applied Financial Lines Lawyers Forum, Las Vegas, NV, October 3, 2024
Legal Ethics for In-House Counsel
Kentucky Bar Association In-House Counsel, February 20, 2024
Suits (Not the TV Show). What to Do
Speaker, Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities (KAHCF) 2023 Annual Meeting, Louisville, Ky., November 14-16, 2023
Right after Thanksgiving 2021, tried and won an asbestos case related to coal mining equipment in Eastern Kentucky - without calling an expert witness.
Involved in a three-week Kentucky state court trial - resulting in a defense verdict in less than an hour - stemming from allegations of asbestos exposure and resulting mesothelioma from cosmetic talcum powder products.
Recent opinion from Court of Appeals, affirming the trial court, dismissing legal malpractice case on issues related to judicial estoppel.
Obtained summary judgment, affirmed on appeal, in legal malpractice case on issues surrounding plaintiff's expert's inability to articulate the standard of care.
In a recent opinion before the Kentucky Court of Appeals, obtained an affirmance of a summary judgment for a lawyer in a case alleging the lawyer owed a duty to a putative class.
Torts & Insurance Practice Group, Co-Chair
Professional Liability Practice Group, Team Leader
Ethics Committee, Former Chair
Southeast American Board of Trial Advocates, Board of Directors
Citizens for Better Judges, Steering Committee (2022-present)
University of Kentucky College of Law
University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences
Phi Beta Kappa
Otis A. Singletary scholarship recipient
Omicron Delta Kappa
Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity
Mr. Breetz lives and dies University of Kentucky football, when his wife and eleven children give him the opportunity. He formerly coached middle school girl's lacrosse and announced high school field hockey and lacrosse games. Mr. Breetz is also an advocate for international adoptions, as his family has been blessed with three children from Ethiopia and two children from China. Mr. Breetz is a member of the Board of Directors for Southeast American Board of Trial Advocates and is a member of the Prichard Committee on Academic Excellence.
Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
Best Lawyers in America®, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (2015-25)
Benchmark Litigation magazine, Litigation Star (2020-25)
Kentucky Super Lawyers® (2009-25)
Louisville Magazine's "Top Lawyers" for Professional Malpractice - Defense (2013, 2014, 2016)



Spring 2025 National Legal Malpractice Conference
Omni Charlotte Hotel, 132 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202-2131
Stites & Harbison attorneys Matt Breetz and Jennifer Guerra will be speakers at the Spring 2025 National Legal Malpractice Conference in Charlotte, NC April 2-4, 2025.
Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 47 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2025
The 2025 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 47 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 34 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 13 attorneys to the Rising Stars list.
Benchmark Litigation 2025 Honors 14 Stites & Harbison Attorneys
The 2025 edition of Benchmark Litigation names 11 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys as “Litigation Stars” and three as “Future Stars” in Kentucky. The guide honors the firms and attorneys who have demonstrated the ability to consistently handle complex, high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2025 Best Lawyers® Publications
Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 97 of its lawyers are included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence according to the publication. Additionally, 12 Stites & Harbison attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 30 attorneys are recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Kentucky Super Lawyers® Honors 49 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2024
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2024 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers® recently honored 49 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 35 attorneys to the Super Lawyers® list and 14 attorneys to the Rising Stars® list.
Benchmark Litigation 2024 Honors 14 Stites & Harbison Attorneys
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2024 edition of Benchmark Litigation names 11 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys as “Litigation Stars” and three as “Future Stars” in Kentucky.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2024 Best Lawyers® Publications
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 101 of its lawyers are included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 49 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2023
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2023 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 49 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 37 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 12 attorneys to the Rising Stars list.