Biography
Matt Thompson is a litigator licensed in Texas and Louisiana with a focus on construction and commercial disputes. Matt was named Texas Rising Star in Construction Litigation in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 and was elected to serve on the Council for the Construction Law Section for the Houston Bar Association for 2019, 2020, and 2021.
In his construction litigation practice, Matt represents contractors, subcontractors, and owners in all types of construction related disputes, including cases involving construction and EPC contracts, construction defects, personal injury, design issues, delay and loss of productivity claims, property damage, payment disputes, liens, performance and payment bonds, bid contests, insurance coverage, and indemnity, among others. Matt’s construction litigation experience includes private projects involving petroleum processing facilities, pipelines, commercial buildings, hotels, apartments, and condominiums, as well as public projects at the federal, state, and local levels involving dredging, highways, airports, hospitals, wastewater facilities, military bases, universities, and schools. Additionally, Matt has represented clients in matters involving EPC contracts and federal acquisition regulations. Matt also drafts, reviews, and negotiates construction contracts and real estate contracts for his clients.
As a commercial litigator, Matt has represented clients in a wide range of business disputes in the real estate, securities, energy, utilities, and healthcare sectors. He routinely handles complex commercial litigation matters involving commercial contracts, leases, debtor/creditor issues, and other matters integral to business operations. Matt has also represented clients in personal injury matters, multi-party litigation, multijurisdictional disputes, and class actions.
Matt also frequently assists clients in proactively avoiding litigation, often through early involvement in the negotiation and performance of construction and commercial contracts, strategic risk assessment, and alternative dispute resolution. Matt is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and earned his law degree from Louisiana State University, where he served on the Trial Advocacy Board.
Education
- Louisiana State University – J.D., 2009
– Trial Advocacy Board - University of Texas at Austin – B.A., 2006
Recognitions & Distinctions
- Recognized as a “Texas Rising Star” in Construction Litigation in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 by Thomson Reuters
Representative Experience
- Represented a general contractor in an arbitration proceeding involving a defaulted subcontractor and schedule delays. Following a five-day hearing, our client was awarded all supplementation cost incurred in connection with the defaulting subcontractor’s performance, as well as interest and attorney’s fees, and the defaulting subcontractor’s multi-million dollar counterclaim was denied in its entirety.
- Successfully defended a Houston-based construction company in an arbitration proceeding initiated by a property owner who sought over $2.6 million for alleged construction defects and construction delays. Following a three-day hearing, the owner was awarded nothing, and our client received a sizeable award for wrongfully rejected invoices and change orders.
- Obtained an eight-figure recovery for a dredging contractor in a matter involving differing site-conditions.
- Represented a mechanical subcontractor in a hotly contested adversary bankruptcy proceeding involving lien priority and perfection issues for work performed on a $160 million cryogenic gas processing facility, resulting in a multi-million dollar recovery for client.
- Absolved a heavy marine construction contractor of liability in high stakes litigation involving near-fatal injuries resulting from a pipeline pressure explosion and damages claimed in excess of $35 million.
- Secured a total defense victory for client following an arbitration hearing where the plaintiffs alleged gross negligence and sought damages of more than $1 million.
- Successfully defended a commercial property owner at trial against a general contractor’s breach of contract and lien foreclosure claims.
- Successfully defended a federal court lawsuit that alleged compensatory and exemplary damages in excess of $100 million. Following motion practice, the court dismissed the claims against client in their entirety.
Memberships & Affiliations
- State Bar of Texas, Construction Law Section
- Houston Bar Association: Construction Law Section, Council Member (2019-2021)
- Louisiana Bar Association
- Texas Bar College
Admissions
- State Bar of Texas
- State Bar of Louisiana
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States District Court: Eastern & Southern Districts of Texas
- United States District Court: Eastern, Middle & Western Districts of Louisiana
- United States Bankruptcy Court: Southern District of Texas & Western District of Louisiana