Matthew Close, firmwide co-chair of the Securities Litigation and Financial Services Practice, represents corporations, directors, executives, underwriters, and financial advisors in securities, derivative, corporate governance, and fiduciary duty litigation, as well as in government and special committee investigations. Matt also litigates commercial disputes, consumer class actions, and unfair competition actions, including recently trying three arbitrations where his clients obtained complete victories.
Chambers USA ranks Matt as a leading securities litigator in California, and has described him as “spectacular” and a “trusted advisor” who is “incredibly experienced in the securities field.” It quotes a client describing Matt as “the best lawyer I've worked with in terms of client relations, responsiveness, legal expertise and outcomes.” Law360 and The Legal 500 US recognized Matt’s “deep commitment to his clients” and BTI Consulting Group named him a “Client Service All-Star” in its annual survey of in-house counsel. Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation recognizes him as a “California - Litigation Star.”
Matt serves on the firm’s Board of Directors, known as the Policy Committee, where he was the Lead Director, and Matt formerly chaired the firm’s Partner Admissions Committee. Outside of O’Melveny, Matt serves on the Board of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society, was a Lawyer Representative for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference and is a Past President of the Federal Bar Association’s Los Angeles Chapter.
Securities, Derivative, Fiduciary Duty and M&A
- Lead counsel in successful defense of a decade-long, multibillion euro securities fraud, RICO, and mismanagement dispute with claims asserted in four different states and three different countries arising from the bankruptcy of a publicly held European joint venture company
Financial Services
- Lead counsel for a mortgage servicing company that obtained dismissals with prejudice of multiple federal court class actions challenging loan servicing practices and disclosures
Commercial and Consumer
- Advising a sports media company in strategic communications, incident preparedness, and commercial disputes with ticketholders and vendors
Real Estate
- Lead trial counsel for luxury mobilehome park owner who obtained a multi-million dollar jury verdict against a municipality for a regulatory taking under the principles established by the Supreme Court in Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City, 438 U.S. 104 (1978)
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
Court Admissions
- US District Court for the Central, Southern, and Northern Districts of California; the Eastern District of Michigan; and the District of Colorado
Education
- University of California at Berkeley, J.D.: Order of the Coif
- University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, B.S.: magna cum laude
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Securities in Los Angeles, CA (2023-2025)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for General Commercial Disputes, Securities Litigation: Defense, and Transport: Aviation and Air Travel
- Ranked by Chambers USA as a leading lawyer for Litigation: Securities
- Named a “California - Litigation Star” (2019, 2021, 2023-2025), “Litigation Star” (2024-2025), and “Local Litigation Star” (2019-2021, 2023) for General Commercial & Securities by Benchmark Litigation
- Recognized by BTI Consulting Group as a “Client Service All-Star”
- Recipient of the Warren Christopher Values Award for exemplifying O’Melveny’s values of uncompromising excellence, distinctive leadership, and superior citizenship (2020)
- Recipient of a “Distinguished Legal Writing Award” by the Burton Awards for Legal Achievement, run in conjunction with the Library of Congress
Professional Activities
Clerkships
- Honorable Mariana R. Pfaelzer, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
Leadership
- Lawyer Representative, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (2017-2023)
Co-Author
- “A Private Right to Sue Over Tender Offers,” Daily Journal (April 22, 2019)
Speaker
- Podcast, “SCOTUS DIG Deepens Uncertainty over Shareholder Suits,” The Daily Journal (April 26, 2019)