Matt has a varied civil litigation practice with a particular emphasis in employment law. He has represented individuals, small businesses and Fortune 500 companies in state and federal court in areas including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour law violations, trade secrets misappropriation, copyright infringement, and breach of contract. Matt’s trial experience allows him to advocate effectively for his clients both in and out of the courtroom and at all stages of litigation. In addition, his appellate experience at both the state and federal level gives him an advantage in preparing a case for trial, as well as being able to help clients beyond the trial stage.
Full Bio »
Matt has a varied civil litigation practice with a particular emphasis in employment law. He has represented individuals, small businesses and Fortune 500 companies in state and federal court in areas including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour law violations, trade secrets misappropriation, copyright infringement, and breach of contract. Matt’s trial experience allows him to advocate effectively for his clients both in and out of the courtroom and at all stages of litigation. In addition, his appellate experience at both the state and federal level gives him an advantage in preparing a case for trial, as well as being able to help clients beyond the trial stage.
Highlights
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Former Assistant District Attorney, Queens County (NY) District Attorney’s Office.
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Significant experience in presenting oral arguments before the Appellate Division – Second Department in New York.
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Substantial appellate experience in state and federal courts.
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Named as a White Scholar by the Thomas J. White Center on Law and Government.
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Editor-in-chief of the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy.
Representative Matters
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Tried a federal employment discrimination case, which resulted in a favorable jury verdict on behalf of a University employee.
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Defended a client against copyright infringement allegations made by a former employer, which included defeating plaintiff’s motion for summary adjudication.
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Successfully developed appellate briefs in two different appeals before the California Court of Appeal, each of which resulted in the reversal of the trial court's grant of summary judgment.
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Successfully developed and argued an appellate brief before the California Court of Appeal that resulted in affirming the trial court’s order to sustain, without leave to amend, a demurrer to a Petition for Administrative Mandamus.
Reported Cases
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Ajaxo, Inc. et al. v. Bank of America Technology and Operations, Inc., et al., 625 F.Supp.2d 976 (E.D. CA 2008).
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People v. Harvey, 298 A.D.2d 527 (N.Y. App. Div. 2002).
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People v. Jackson, 273 A.D.2d 253 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000).
Professional and Community Contributions
A member and 2012 Chair of the Labor and Employment Executive Committee of the Santa Clara Bar Association, Matt served on the Bar Association’s Board of Trustees in 2007-2008, and has been a delegate to the Conference of California Bar Associations from 2005 through the present. Since 2009, Matt has also been a member of the Conference’s Resolutions Committee.
Articles
Admissions
State Bar of California
State Bar of New York
U.S. District Courts, for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Education
J.D., University of Notre Dame Law School, 1996
B.A., Bowdoin College, 1991