Matt litigates complex civil matters, focusing on financial services litigation, professional liability defense, and appellate work. He has represented financial institutions in cases involving mortgage-backed securities, litigating such matters through summary judgment and trial. He also has defended law firms in cases involving allegations of malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, or conflicts of interest. In addition, he has briefed and argued a broad range of appeals in federal and state courts across the country.
Matt grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. He earned his B.A., with high honors, from the University of Virginia in 2006. He earned his J.D. in 2009 from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as an Articles Editor of the Virginia Law Review and graduated first in his class. Following law school, Matt clerked for the Honorable J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; served as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General; and clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States. He joined Williams & Connolly in 2012.
Representative Experience
Though all cases vary and none is predictive, Matt’s experience includes:
- Represented mortgage originators in breach-of-contract and indemnification actions relating to securitization of residential mortgage loans;
- Defended law firm against a motion to disqualify and in a separate suit alleging breach of fiduciary duty;
- Defended law firm in action arising from underwriting of foreign energy company;
- Represented national television news organization in defamation and product disparagement lawsuit, seeking more than $1 billion in damages;
- Obtained dismissal of complaint against multinational media company in only suit brought in the U.S. regarding phone hacking controversy in United Kingdom;
- Represented petitioner before the U.S. Supreme Court in Warger v. Shauers, 135 S. Ct. 521 (2014);
- Argued criminal appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit;*
- Argued criminal appeal before Maryland Court of Special Appeals;
- Briefed appeals before United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third, and Fifth Circuits and the Minnesota Supreme Court.
*Representation occurred prior to joining Williams & Connolly.