Mat has been involved in all aspects of federal, state, administrative, and coordinated multi-district proceedings, at the trial and appellate levels. He has experience litigating claims involving contract disputes, business torts, the False Claims Act, civil RICO, securities, consumer protection, and auditor liability.
CONTACT INFO
206-892-2135
MLH@stokeslaw.com
PRACTICE AREAS
Litigation
Class Actions
EDUCATION
University of Chicago Law School, J.D. (2002)
St. Olaf College, B.A. in Economics and Political Science, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa (1996)
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
Washington
U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
ASSISTANT
REPRESENTATIVE WORK
Represented wireless carrier in consumer class actions.
Represented wireless carrier in employment dispute.
Represented software company in antitrust lawsuits brought by indirect purchasers taken to trial state courts and before European Commission.
Represented software company in nationwide consumer class action alleging violations of Washington CPA and RICO.
Represented pharmaceutical company indemnification action and related qui tam fee dispute.
Represented commodity manufacturer in rate and power service proceedings before Bonneville Power Administration and resulting Ninth Circuit appeals.
Represented utility in defeating preliminary injunction threatening construction of new generating capacity.
PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Mat dedicates a portion of his practice to providing individuals with legal services pro bono. He has represented the Washington Coalition for Open Government in suits seeking disclosure of public records. He has successfully pursued constitutional claims on behalf of students who were subjected to suspicionless drug tests. He has also represented victims of domestic violence in obtaining protection orders and determining child custody.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
"It's Out of My Hands? A party's duty to preserve documents in the possession of others," co-authored with Charles Ha. LexisNexis Mealey's Litigation Report, Discovery, Vol. 5, Issue 8
Antitrust Law Developments, contributing drafter for the ABA Section of Antitrust Law's annual review (2008)
RECOGNITION
Rising Star, WASHINGTON LAW & POLITICS
BACKGROUND & INTERESTS
Mat was associated with the firm Heller Ehrman prior to joining Stokes Lawrence.
Mat has the right temperament for complex commercial litigation and its associated challenges; after all, he finds it relaxing to take his three kids (all under 5, and one still in diapers) on backcountry campouts.
RECOMMENDED LINKS
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/
http://trialadnotes.blogspot.com/
http://www.wta.org/hiking-info/basics/ten-essentials/
http://www.spotbus.com/