DLA Piper LLP (US)

Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations

Partner

Matt Nickel is a trial lawyer who focuses on complex litigation with an emphasis on defending product liability cases, suits brought by state Attorneys General, class actions, and cases involving pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Matt has led teams defending cases involving the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute, as well as state Medicaid fraud, consumer protection and antitrust cases. He has an extensive background in the medical arena, including work as a sales representative for a major pharmaceutical company. Matt also has experience with direct defense of aging services facilities in lawsuits asserting professional liability, personal injury, negligence, elder abuse, wrongful death and other related claims.

Matt has successfully defended numerous class actions. In the last several years, he has successfully defended and/or favorably resolved class action claims stemming from a variety of cases including numerous class actions related to allegedly defective building products, a consumer class involving a large gasoline recall, and a class action related to the recall of numerous pharmaceutical products.

Matt has significant experience in federal and state courts throughout the country in both individual actions, class actions, and large multi-district litigations. He has handled all aspects of litigation, from pre-suit resolution through trial. His experience includes managing discovery, taking and defending depositions of key witnesses, expert witness development, and briefing complicated legal and scientific issues. Matt tried an Eighth Amendment pro bono case to verdict in federal court in Missouri.

J.D., University of Texas School of Law; B.A., University of Texas at Austin