Biography
Matt’s practice focuses on commercial construction matters, including the prosecution and defense of payment, defect, extra work, termination, delay, inefficiency, bond, and lien claims. In addition, Matt helps his clients negotiate construction contracts and counsels his clients throughout the construction process, from contract award through final completion.
Matt has over 15 years of experience in construction law.
Areas of Focus
+Construction
- Matt serves as a vital resource for his clients throughout the construction process, providing timely advice aimed at successful project completion, efficient claim resolution, and formal dispute resolution avoidance
- He assists his clients with every manner of dispute that can arise on a commercial construction project, including payment, change order, delay, inefficiency, defective work, and warranty claims
- Matt recently assisted a highway general contractor in obtaining an $860,000 delay claim recovery from the North Carolina Department of Transportation before a Verified Claim needed to be filed
- He also recently assisted a general contractor to obtain a $1.2 million in delay damages arising from a community college project before any significant litigation against the project owner and its design team was required
+Litigation
- Matt is a passionate advocate for his clients when their claims and/or defenses require formal dispute resolution via mediation, arbitration, or litigation
- He was part of a team that recently helped a private owner obtain a multi-million dollar settlement arising from systemic building envelope failures requiring the re-cladding of the client’s multi-building apartment property
- Matt was the lead counsel in defending a $1,000,000 subcontractor claim for extended general conditions and Eichleay formula unabsorbed home office overhead damages; the arbitrator awarded the subcontractor only $103,791 of what it had claimed offset by $98,632 in attorneys’ fees awarded to Matt’s client as the prevailing party, resulting in a final award in favor of the subcontractor of just $5,159
- He was also lead counsel in defending a $230,000 payment claim by a remediation contractor whose work included certain improvements to the property put into place without a general contractor’s license; Matt recently obtained summary judgment in favor of his owner client, successfully arguing that the failure of the remediation contractor to obtain a general contractor’s license barred its recovery
+Contracts
- Matt regularly assists clients by negotiating construction contracts of all types, including design contracts, prime contracts, and subcontract agreements
- He has assisted units of local government by negotiating construction management at-risk and design-build contracts and comply with all statutory requirements applicable to procuring design and construction services through alternative project delivery methods
Credentials
+Education
University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., 2001
Duke University, A.B. in Public Policy Studies, magna cum laude, 1994
+Professional & Community Activities
American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry
American Bar Association, Section of Litigation
American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section
North Carolina Bar Association, Construction Law Section, Chair
North Carolina Bar Association, Litigation Section
Wake County Bar Association
Carolinas AGC
Durham Historic Preservation Commission, Chair
+Notable Accomplishments
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation-Construction), 2023-2025
Recognized as a Leading Attorney by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (North Carolina Construction), 2022-2024
Recognized in Business North Carolina magazine’s “Legal Elite” for Construction in 2013 and 2015-2024
Recognized in Super Lawyers magazine 2014-2024
Ranked among Super Lawyers magazine’s “Rising Stars”, 2012
