Matthew's practice focuses on civil litigation, including catastrophic injury, wrongful death, commercial property management, homeowner/landlord liability, property boundary disputes, premises liability and employment law. Matthew has years of experience in a wide range of litigation matters including discovery, motions, depositions, pleadings and mediations. He is devoted to his clients, and resolutely defends their interests both in and out of the courtroom.
Matthew is an avid traveler and sports enthusiast. He and his lovely wife, Cristhiane, founded the Fighting Cancer Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds used to purchase hospital equipment for cancer treatment in Cristhiane's hometown of Joćo Pessoa, Brazil. Matthew is proficient in both Portuguese and Spanish.
Professional Memberships and Activities
· American Bar Association
· Los Angeles County Bar Association
· Beverly Hills Bar Association
Speeches and Publications
· Author of article on "Cyberbullying Legislation"
· Author of article on "Harris v. Superior Court"
· Author of article on "New Legislation Regarding Use of Credit Reports in Employment"
Articles
2/22/2012, Cyberbullying Legislation
Cyberbullying is a serious matter, as evidenced by the recent stories of teenagers who have taken their own lives after being victims of cyberbullies. Despite these tragic events, courts have failed to clarify the extent of a school administrator's authority to discipline students for cyberbullying.
2/22/2012, Harris v. Superior Court
The California Supreme Court recently issued its decision in Harris v. Superior Court, an overtime pay case that addresses whether certain claims adjusters are exempt under California's Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order 4.
2/22/2012, New Legislation Regarding Use of Credit Reports in Employment
On October 9, 2011, California Governor Jerry Brown signed almost two dozen new California human resources and labor-related bills into law, effective in 2012. One of the new bills, AB-22, deals with prohibiting the use of credit reports in employment. This legislation prohibits employers from using an employee's credit history in making most employment decisions. This also applies to applicants interviewing for a job.