Practice Emphasis

Matt handles civil appeals in state and federal appellate courts. He has briefed and/or argued cases before the Oregon Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit, the Second Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. His work has resulted in published opinions on issues of first impression in Oregon and elsewhere, in a variety of actions, including negligence, employment, construction defect, breach of contract, corporate and constitutional matters. He regularly advises attorneys on trial and appellate strategy, procedure, and substantive legal issues, with an eye toward avoiding error in the trial court or preserving issues for appellate review.

Matt also has an active trial court practice, focusing on complex commercial and corporate litigation. He has represented corporate entities and officers, board members, and other professionals in direct, derivative and class actions, shareholder disputes, breach of contract actions, and other matters implicating professional and statutory duties.

Practice Experience

Before joining Hart Wagner, LLP in 2007, Matt was counsel for the Oregon Legislature’s Judiciary Committees during the 2007 Legislative Session.

• Partner, since 2007
• Stoel Rives LLP
  Portland, Oregon, 2003-2007
• Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison, LLP
  New York, New York, 2001-2003
• Law Clerk to Judge Susan Graber
  United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  Portland, Oregon, 2001-2002
• Law Clerk to Justice James Coleman
  NJ Supreme Court
  Trenton, New Jersey, 1999-2000

Education

• Yale Law School
  New Haven, CT
  J.D., 1999
• University of Massachusetts
  Amherst, MA
  B.A., Political Science Honors Program, 1994

Activities

Co-Author, 2007 Oregon Legislation Highlights, Chapter on Civil Procedure, Dispute Resolution and Appellate Practice, Presented to County Bar association on legislative process

Admissions

Matt is admitted in state and federal courts in Oregon, Washington and New York.

Other

• Selected Oregon Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
• Member, Federal Bar and Multnomah Bar Associations
• Oregon Bar Board
  Member of Appellate, Constitutional Law and Securities Sections
• Oregon District Court Historical Society
  Member, 2005-2009