Matthew’s practice includes representing vessel owners and operators, contractors, and shipyards, as well as other businesses in maritime, construction, and commercial disputes.

Matthew has handled maritime matters throughout the Gulf South, the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, and the Eastern Seaboard. Matthew regularly defends Jones Act, Longshore Harbor and Worker’s Compensation Act, and general maritime personal injury claims, and both defends and prosecutes maritime contractual disputes and maritime property damage matters. He also represents underwriters and marine insurers in insurance coverage matters. Matthew’s experience also includes the defense of insurers, hotel operators, and transportation companies in land-based personal injury actions.

Matthew’s marine and land-based construction practice covers the representation of shipyards in vessel construction and repair disputes and general and sub-contractors in breach of contract, non-payment, defective workmanship, and lien disputes. Matthew also represents businesses in actions for breach of contract, fraud, intentional interference with contract, unfair trade practices, and trade secret violations, as well as real estate title and boundary disputes. Matthew has tried numerous cases to verdict, obtaining both bench and jury verdicts in favor of his clients.

Matthew also counsels maritime clients in forming and negotiating master service agreements, master time charter agreements, third-party access and boarding agreements, and vessel construction contracts. Matthew counsels other businesses in preparing and negotiating non-compete, non-disclosure, non-solicitation, and professional services contracts. Matthew serves as outside general counsel for numerous clients, including the largest liftboat owner/operator in the Gulf of Mexico.

Experience

• Lead counsel for a worldwide leading marine design and construction firm; obtained a defense verdict on behalf of the President and Owner in a three-week jury trial on claims of intentional interference with contract and unfair trade practices where damages sought were more than $5,000,000.

• Lead counsel for firm team that represented the leading provider of dredging services in the United States and obtained summary judgment on a general maritime law negligence claim.

• Lead counsel for firm team that represented a worldwide leading marine design and construction firm in the Seacor Power matter and obtained favorable settlements from all claimants on the general maritime law claims of negligent design and construction of the vessel.

• Obtained summary judgment for a regional environmental services company in which the plaintiff sought damages under section 905 (b) of the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).

• Obtained bench verdict on behalf of Texas Industrial Equipment fabrication company for breach of contract and defective workmanship in the fabrication of boilers for the federal government.

• Lead counsel for firm team representing a regional supplier of timber products, marine transportation services, and stevedoring services and obtained dismissal based on forum non-conveniens of a Jones Act suit filed in Orleans Parish.

• Obtained a voluntary dismissal of numerous clients, including the vessel owner, in response to a motion for summary judgment in a case where the plaintiff sought damages under the Jones Act, the Longshore Harbor and Worker’s Compensation Act, and General Maritime Law.

• Obtained bench verdict in an action to annul a previous judgment rendered in favor of a Louisiana real estate investor. The verdict included an award of attorney’s fees after the action to annul was deemed baseless by the court.

• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Gulf of Mexico liftboat owner/operator in a Fair Labor Standards Act action where over 40 current and former crew members sought overtime and back pay, alleging the FLSA seaman exemption did not cover them.

• Appeared in litigation after a default judgment was entered and successfully set aside the judgment for over $1,000,000 on behalf of a Georgia solar technology company and its principal.

Honors & Activities

• Louisiana Super Lawyers, Transportation & Maritime - 2020 - 2024

• The Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty and Maritime Law - 2021 - 2025

• Professional Mariner Magazine Top Maritime Law Attorney - 2019

• Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel – 2023 to present

• Fellow-American Bar Foundation – 2019 to present

• Loyola University New Orleans School of Law Moot Court Staff – Spring 2003 to Spring 2005

• Distinguished Moot Court Senior – Spring 2005

• Moot Court Teaching Assistant – Spring 2004

Association Leadership Positions

• American Bar Association (ABA)

• Tort, Trial, and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)

  • Corporate Counsel Committee – Vice Chair: 2016 – Present

  • Business Litigation Committee – Chair: 2021-2022; Vice Chair: 2016 – Present

  • Standing Committee on Ethics & Professionalism – Chair 2019-2020; Member: 2016 – Present

  • Admiralty and Maritime Litigation Committee – Vice Chair: 2019 – Present

  • Standing Committee on Technology and New Media – Chair 2020-2021

• Section of Litigation

  • Young Lawyers Subcommittee of the Mass Torts Committee – Co-Chair: 2009 – 2011

  • Experts and Evidence Subcommittee of the Mass Torts Committee – Co-Chair: 2011 – 2017

• Federal Bar Association

  • Admiralty Law Section - Membership Chair 2020 – 2022; CLE and Programming Chair 2023-Present

  • New Orleans Chapter - Board Member - 2024-Present

Presentations & Publications

• Panelist, “Claims Made! - Handling Personal Injury, Environmental, and Property Damage Claims” - Federal Bar Association CLE Conference, St. Thomas University School of Law, September 27, 2023

• Making Waves: Penalties, Verdicts, Lost Submersibles and More! - Examining Significant Developments in Maritime Law in the First Half of 2023 - FBA Webinar, July 26, 2023

• Moderator, “Risky Business: Examining the Perils of Operations in the Gulf of Mexico” - Admiralty Disruption Conference, March 3, 2023

• Moderator, “Stern to Bow: A Look Back at Significant Issues of 2022 and a Look Ahead to Emerging Issues of in 2023” - FBA Webinar, January 11, 2023

• Moderator, “Status Determination and the Injured Maritime Worker” - Southeastern Law Admiralty Institute Summer CLE Conference, June 24, 2022

• Moderator, “Litigating Jones Act Claims - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” - The Moeller Firm/Degan, Blanchard & Nash Joint CLE, May 19, 2022

• Moderator, “Three’s a Crowd: Handling Third Party Claims” Florida Bar Association and Federal Bar Association Joint CLE - February 18, 2022

• Co-Presenter, “Taking Care of Business and Working Overtime? Why Classification of Offshore Worker Matt-ers” - New Orleans Bar Association Procrastinators’ Program, December 22, 2021

• Co-Presenter, “Semantics: All at Sea Over Who is a Seaman!” - Offshore Marine Services Association Lunch N Learn, December 5, 2021

• Author, “At Sea Without a Rudder or Compass: 11th Circuit Opinion Demonstrates the Challenges of Wilburn Boat Concerning Breaches of Marine Insurance Warranties” - ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Insurance Coverage Litigation, Summer 2021

• “The Old Seaman and the Sea” - ABA TIPS Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee Newsletter, March 2021

• Contributing Author, “Recent Developments in Admiralty and Maritime Law” – ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Spring 2020, Vol. 55, Issue 2

• Batted Down! Supreme Court Relies on History, Uniformity and Policy in Rejecting Punitive Damages for Unseaworthiness - ABA TIPS Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee Newsletter, Spring/Summer 2019

• Contributing Author, “Recent Developments in Admiralty and Maritime Law,” - ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Spring 2019, Vol. 54, Issue 2.

• Seeing is Believing: Effective Use of Demonstrative Evidence in the Digital Age - ABA Joint Meeting of the Section of Litigation and GP Solo and Small Firm Division, May 2, 2019

• Mastering Ethical Issues in the Maritime Cyber Security Space - ABA TIPS Admiralty and Maritime Law Committee Admiralty Disruption Conference, March 22, 2019

• No Sir! You Can't Steal My Clients! Or Maybe You Can! Effective Strategies for Preparing, Negotiating, Litigating and Avoiding Restrictive Covenants - ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Member Monday Webinar - November 5, 2018

• In the Wake of Doiron: The New Fifth Circuit Test for Maritime Contracts – The American Institute of Marine Underwriters Presentation, New York City, NY, October 30, 2018

• Problem Solved! Effective Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Alternative Dispute Resolution – ABA GP Solo & Small Firm Fall Conference Innovation Lab Presentation, Charleston, SC, October 26, 2018

• Navigating Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) and State Workers’ Compensation Claims – ABA TIPS Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee and Workers’ Compensation Committee Presentation, Philadelphia, PA, September 27, 2018

• Changes in the Tide: Differing Views on Emerging Issues in Maritime Law – Admiralty Law Committee Meeting for the New Orleans Federal Bar Association, July 18, 2018

• Lien In: An Overview of the Current State of Louisiana Construction Lien Law – Louisiana Associated General Contractors Quarterly Meetings, Shreveport and Monroe, LA, June 2018

• Contributing Author, “Recent Developments in Admiralty and Maritime Law” – ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Winter 2018, Vol. 53, Issue 2

• Gathering Intelligence: Considering issues posed by Blockchain and Smart Contracts – ABA TIPS Corporate Counsel Committee Newsletter, Winter 2018

• Actions Speak Louder than Words: Potential Waiver of Written Contractual Provisions – ABA GP Solo eReport, January 22, 2018

• Mandamn! Fifth Circuit Rejects Mandamus Relief for Litigation Costs – What Might the Future Hold? – ABA Section of Litigation Mass Torts Committee Newsletter, Fall 2017

• The Ever-Changing Playing Field: Evolving Legislative and Judicial Scrutiny of Non-Compete Agreements – ABA TIPS Corporate Counsel Committee Newsletter, Summer 2017

• Contributing Author, “Recent Developments in Admiralty and Maritime Law,” ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Winter 2017, Vol. 52, Issue 2.

• Specifically General or Statutory: Knowing Your Basis for Jurisdiction – ABA Mass Torts Committee Newsletter, March 2017

• Beyond Navigable Waters: A Look at the Concept of an Appurtenance and Jurisdiction Under the Admiralty Extension Act – ABA TIPS Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee Newsletter, February 2017

• Threatened or Not? Recent Developments Under The Americans With Disabilities Act’s Direct Threat Doctrine – ABA TIPS Corporate Counsel Committee Newsletter, December 2016

• Engagements, Deficiencies and Fraud: Examining the Scope of La. R.S. 9:2772 – Construction Defect and Dispute Conference, New Orleans, October 2016

• A Proportional Response? Practical Guidance for New Federal Rule 26 – ABA Mass Torts Committee Newsletter, October 2016

• Fraud Firepower: An Avenue for Recovering Maintenance and Cure Benefits? – WorkBoat (News for the Commercial Marine Industry), August 25, 2016

• Misunderstood Vessel Boarding Agreements Can Cost You – WorkBoat (News for the Commercial Marine Industry), June 21, 2016

• Defects Aboard! Defending Defect Claims in Vessel Construction Disputes – Construction Defect and Dispute Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 2016

• On the Deposition Trail – Achieving the Best Result for Your Client – ABA Mass Torts Committee Newsletter, December 2010

Associations & Memberships

• Offshore Marine Services Association

• The American Institute of Marine Underwriters

• Transportation Lawyers Association

• New Orleans Board of Trade

• The Association of General Contractors: Mississippi Valley Chapter

• The Mariners Club of the Port of New Orleans

• The Houston Mariners Club

• New Orleans Bar Association (NOBA)

Education

• The Institutes Risks & Insurance Knowledge Group 

• Currently Pursuing an Associate in Marine Insurance Management (AMIM®) Designation

• Louisiana State University – E.J. Ourso College of Business, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

  • Workboat Strategic Leadership Development Program, December 2015

• Loyola University - New Orleans School of Law, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Juris Doctor, May 2005

• Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas

  • Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, Cox School of Business, May 1999

  • Bachelor of Arts in History, May 1999

Admissions

• Louisiana State Bar Association - Admitted 2005

• Texas State Bar Association - Admitted 2018

• All Louisiana State and Federal Courts

• All Texas State Courts

• Northern District of Texas

• Southern District of Texas