Matthew Lee has a diverse civil litigation practice with particular focus on professional malpractice defense, product liability, general liability and casualty, and personal injury matters. Matt is a co-chair of the firm’s Lawyers Liability practice. In addition, Matt has considerable experience handling complex transportation matters, representing interstate carriers and businesses in vehicular matters, including wrongful death. He is known for his ability to quickly identify and simplify the salient issues facing his clients, providing them with an analysis of the risks and benefits of a matter at the earliest possible stage. Matt is an experienced trial attorney, well known in the state, federal and appellate courts of Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland and in other jurisdictions.
Areas of Focus
Professional liability
Matt defends professionals, including attorneys, physicians, nurses, mental health practitioners, design professionals and accountants in malpractice-related matters. He strives to establish a close working relationship with his clients, leveraging their knowledge, skill and experience, along with his own, to devise a defense strategy that satisfies the unique circumstances of each case.
Matt is a member of the Virginia State Bar’s Special Committee on Lawyer Malpractice Insurance, which monitors and works with the Virginia State Bar’s endorsed LPL carrier. He co-authored the Virginia State Bar’s publication “A Guide to Purchasing Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance in Virginia.” In addition, Matt frequently lectures and presents to professional groups in the legal and medical communities on urgent issues impacting those professions.
Product Liability
In product liability matters, Matt is first and foremost a proponent of preventive measures and adept at identifying issues before they become the subject of a loss. Should a loss occur, however, Matt is quick to analyze applicable legal standards, which tend to be unique in Virginia, and, as necessary, coordinate with respected experts in relevant specialties. In that regard, he has represented a broad spectrum of product designers and manufacturers, as well as retail distributors of allegedly defective products.
Complex Tort & General Casualty
Matt’s experience runs the gamut of general liability claims from those involving wrongful death and personal injury to property damage. His clients are diverse and include commercial property owners and developers, banks, hotels and national retailers.
Representative Matters
Obtained jury verdict in favor of lawyer in alleged legal malpractice case arising out of a declaratory judgment action.
Obtained jury verdict in favor of lawyer in alleged legal malpractice case arising out of dispute between residential townhome developer and general contractor, involving a dispute over breach of an AIA contract.
Received published Virginia Supreme Court decision in lawyer malpractice action involving application of the continuous legal representation rule.
Successfully defended subrogation actions involving corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST).
Defended lawyer and successfully moved to dismiss complaint filed by a decedent’s estate, on the ground that the cause of action had not accrued prior to decedent’s death, and thus was not subject to the jurisdiction’s “survival” statute.
Defended lawyer and successfully moved federal court to dismiss claims filed against lawyer by the workers’ compensation carrier of the lawyer’s client.
Obtained jury verdict for settlement/title agent against title abstractor; affirmed by U.S. Court of Appeals.
Defended law firm in a multimillion-dollar municipal construction lawsuit. Law firm was counsel of record for plaintiff municipality, and a named defendant filed a third-party contribution claim against law firm. Court dismissed third-party claim based on policy arguments.
Defended physician and obtained defense verdict in jury trial for alleged OB/GYN malpractice.
Obtained dismissal, arguing lack of duty, for employment agency in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit involving fire damage to a retirement complex that was under construction.
Successfully defended design professional in dispute over construction of hotel.
Successfully vacated a nearly decade-old, $2 million default judgment improperly entered against a lab director. Default judgment was vacated under Virginia Code §8.01-428 as entry of judgment violated director’s due process rights.