Biography: 

Matt Greer represents companies and individuals in complex civil and criminal matters, with a focus on appellate litigation. Matt has litigated in the United States Supreme Court, federal courts of appeals, and state courts of last resort across a range of subject areas including First Amendment and constitutional law, breach of contract, torts, products liability, and the False Claims Act. Matt also has extensive trial court experience, including representing hundreds of people accused in criminal proceedings.

Before returning home to Vermont and joining Sheehey, Matt practiced for several years at Williams & Connolly LLP in Washington, D.C. Matt started his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Mark R. Hornak on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh, PA and then to the Honorable Peter W. Hall on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Rutland, VT.

Matt graduated magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center. In law school, Matt was Editor-in-Chief of the Georgetown Journal of International Law and worked for Senator Patrick Leahy on the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.

Matt was an inaugural graduate of the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce’s skills-based leadership development program, Advance Champlain.

Representative Experience

Though all cases vary and none is predictive, Matt’s experience includes:

• Secured affirmance of summary judgment in the Vermont Supreme Court in favor of firm client in a case involving novel issues under the Takings Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
• Secured affirmance in favor of a regulated utility in a case challenging a long-term resource procurement contract in the Vermont Supreme Court.
• Secured affirmance in the Vermont Supreme Court in favor of firm client in product-liability case involving the interpretation of Vermont’s statute of repose.
• Successfully argued an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, obtaining vacatur of summary judgment on behalf of assault victim.
• Successfully represented dental equipment manufacturers and distributors in Federal Arbitration Act case in U.S. Supreme Court.
• Represented coalition of state governors in affirmative action case in U.S. Supreme Court; amicus brief cited in dissenting opinion.
• Represented the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in federal sentencing guidelines case in the U.S. Supreme Court; amicus brief cited in dissenting opinion.
• Represented coalition of members of the United States Congress in First Amendment case in the U.S. Supreme Court; amicus brief cited multiple times in concurring opinion.
• Successfully represented national television news organization in defamation suit by member of Congress in U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
• Successfully represented pharmaceutical company in product-liability appeal in U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
• Successfully represented firm client in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, obtaining vacatur of an attorneys’ fee award under the Copyright Act.
• Successfully represented Fortune 50 company in False Claims Act appeals in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the First and Second Circuits.
• Secured affirmance on behalf of national newspaper and its reporters in appeal arising from claims based on its reporting in the D.C. Court of Appeals.
• Defense of major law firm in defamation litigation.
• Represented energy company in constitutional challenge under the Contract Clause of the U.S. Constitution.