As Co-Chair of the firm’s Consumer Class Actions Practice, Matt Powers focuses his practice on products liability and class action defense, and he has extensive experience representing defendants in consumer class actions in California and around the country. Matt also handles complex, multiparty commercial litigation. He has been repeatedly recognized as a “Rising Star” in surveys conducted by the Northern California edition of Super Lawyers magazine.
Class Action and Mass Tort
- Defended multinational semiconductor company against multiple consumer class actions related to an alleged security vulnerability.
- Defended major consumer products company against multiple false advertising class actions involving personal care products, including claims over baby powder, moisturizers, sunscreens, retinol-based products, toothpaste, pain relievers and dietary supplements.
- Defended major consumer electronics manufacturer in dozens of false advertising, privacy, and product defect class actions over products ranging from laptops and desktop computers to smartphones, tablets, operating systems and online services.
- Represented multiple universities in class action litigation related to campus closures during the COVID 19 pandemic.
- Defended major financial services company in multiple class actions alleging defects in the company’s online trading systems.
- Defended major kombucha manufacturer in cases involving allegations about alcohol levels in products.
- Defended major financial services company in multiple matters related to “naked” short sales of stock.
- Defended nationwide hotel chain against consumer fraud class action concerning resort and other fees.
- Defended leading online portal company against class action brought under California's privacy and unfair competition laws.
- Represented major pharmaceutical company in various consumer fraud, unfair competition, and products liability class action and mass tort matters concerning the withdrawal of a prescription drug.
- Defended financial services company in consumer fraud class action litigation involving reverse mortgage products.
- Represented automobile manufacturer in mass action consumer fraud litigation.
- Defended industrial equipment manufacturer against wrongful death claims in product liability action.
Commercial Litigation
- Defended nationwide homebuilder in eleven-month bench trial involving disputes over accounting for and profitability of real estate development projects in Southern California.
- Represented nationwide homebuilder in malpractice litigation arising out of real estate development project.
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
Court Admissions
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Education
- University of Texas, J.D.: Order of the Coif; Articles Editor, Texas Law Review
- University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Physics
Honors & Awards
- Ranked by Chambers USA for Product Liability: Consumer Class Actions (2021-2022) and for Litigation: General Commercial (2023-2024)
- Named a “Client Service All-Star” by The BTI Consulting Group (2022)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (2017-2022, 2024), Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action: Consumer Products (including Tobacco) (2018-2022, 2024), Product Liability, Mass Tort & Class Action - Defense: Automotive/Transport (2021-2022, 2024), and Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Toxic Tort (2024)
Professional Activities
Clerkships
- Honorable Will Garwood, US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (2000-2001)
Author
- “‘But For’ Causation in Defective Drug and Toxic Exposure Cases: California's Form Jury Instruction CACI 430,” Association of Corporate Counsel's Summer 2007 Newsletter
- Annual updates on “Class Actions” in the California Litigation Review (2007-present)
Contributing Editor
- California Practice Guide: Civil Procedure Before Trial, The Rutter Group
Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, “The Outside Counsel Perspective,” California Privacy Law 2023, Practising Law Institute (October 26, 2023)
- Speaker, “California Privacy Law 2022,” Practising Law Institute (October 21, 2022)
Related Practices
Related Industries