Overview
Matt’s litigation practice focuses on commercial disputes, consumer class actions, product liability, including medical device litigation, personal injury, real estate and eminent domain. Matt joined the firm’s Litigation Team in Richmond in 1980, following a clerkship with the Hon. John Minor Wisdom on the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1994 Matt moved to the firm’s Atlanta office and continued his diverse litigation practice. He has tried numerous cases in state and federal courts and argued appeals in state and federal court. Matt was a founding member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee in the 1980s and has served on the Boards of Legal Aid Societies in both Richmond and Atlanta. He is a past President of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc. His trial and appellate experience includes pro bono cases in state and federal courts. Matt is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eleventh and District of Columbia United States Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Experience
- Substantial experience with multidistrict and complex litigation involving medical devices, pharmaceuticals and other products, including regional defense counsel responsibility in litigation involving orthopedic bone screws, latex gloves and diet drugs, and defense of other cases involving amiodarone, metoclopramide, phentermine, and orthopedic implants.
- General product liability litigation and advice practice involving broad range of consumer and industrial products, including water heaters, control valves, air compressors, PVC products, concrete pipe, agricultural machinery, energy drinks, underground mining equipment, hand tools, liquid natural gas systems, cryogenic cylinders, asbestos, abrasive cutting machines, earth moving equipment, building materials, cellophane, tires, carpet, golf carts, food, and electrical devices.
- Representation of national restaurant company in commercial, intellectual property, real estate, franchise, personal injury and other litigation.
- Eminent domain practice for both condemning authorities and landowners, involving streets and highways, electric transmission and distribution lines, natural gas pipelines, and other utility projects.
- Representation of Georgia municipalities and development authorities in contested bond validation proceedings and tax litigation.
- Representation of petroleum pipeline company in toxic tort litigation and in class action arising out of pipeline rupture and EPA Clean Water Act enforcement action.
- Representation of international electronic products company in commercial, product liability and consumer class action litigation.
- Substantial trial experience involving overhead and underground electric distribution lines and equipment, including fires, explosions and numerous electrical contact cases.
- Representation of tire manufacturer in product liability litigation.
- Representation of employers and individuals in cases involving covenants not to compete, confidentiality agreements and intellectual property claims.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- Listed in Chambers USA for Litigation 2007, 2010-2017
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2012-2024 for Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation and Product Liability Litigation
- Named a Super Lawyer, as published in Atlanta Magazine and Georgia Super Lawyers magazine®, 2004-2019, Business Litigation, Class Action/Mass Tort, and General Litigation categories
- Named by Georgia Trend magazine®, December 2005, 2006, and 2007 as a member of Georgia’s “Legal Elite” in the Personal Injury category and the Business Litigation category 2006
- Named by Who’s Who Legal, in Product Liability category, 2007, 2014 and 2016-2022
Affiliations
Professional
- Master, Executive Committee Member and past President, Bleckley Inn of Court
- Member, American Bar Association’s Product Liability Committee and Food & Supplements Committee
- Member, Advisory Committee, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc.
- Member, Leaders Council, Legal Services Corporation
- Member, Georgia State Bar’s Elections Committee
- Member, Old War Horse Lawyers Club
- Former President, Washington and Lee Law Council, 2006-2007
- Former member, Washington & Lee Alumni Board
- Former member, Product Liability Advisory Council
- Former member, Atlanta Bar Association’s Judicial Selection and Tenure Committee
- Former Member, Defense Research Institute and Drug & Medical Device Litigation Section
Civic
- Pro bono practice focusing on domestic relations litigation and representation of indigent criminal defendants in United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Executive Committee, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc., President 2010-2011.
Insights
Legal Updates
Events & Speaking Engagements
Publications
Blog Posts
News
Education
JD, Washington and Lee University School of Law, cum laude, Editor-in-Chief, Washington and Lee Law Review, 1979
BA, Washington and Lee University, cum laude, 1975
Admissions
Georgia
Virginia
Clerkships
- US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit