Professional Overview
Matt focuses his practice on environmental law and litigation.
He represents clients in complex environmental litigation matters, including cost-recovery, contribution, and natural resource damages claims arising under Washington’s Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), Oregon’s state superfund law, and the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Matt has experience prosecuting and defending such claims. He has also helped numerous clients locate and trigger insurance coverage, including coverage arising under historical commercial and comprehensive general liability policies, for environmental claims, and has litigated coverage claims arising from insurers’ failure to defend or indemnity their insureds against environmental liabilities.
He also assists businesses, developers, and landowners with the many environmental issues that accompany the purchase, sale, and redevelopment of contaminated and brownfield properties, including due diligence review, remediation strategy and implementation, and regulatory compliance and closure. He has extensive experience drafting and negotiating contractual provisions that allocate environmental liability under those laws.
Additionally, Matt has helped industrial and construction clients with Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act compliance and enforcement issues, and has a range of experience in general commercial litigation, including contractual disputes, lien foreclosures, landlord-tenant disputes, and insurance claims.
A graduate of the University of Washington School of Law, Matt is licensed to practice in the state and federal courts of Washington and Oregon.
Honors / Awards / Prior Experience
- Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Environmental Law, 2024
Education
J.D., University of Washington School of Law
B.S., University of Washington, cum laude