Managing Partner
Litigation Department
215.496.7225
[email protected]
For 25 years, Matt Haverstick has represented government officials, private entities and individuals in high-profile, media intensive litigation and appeals, ranging from major grand jury investigations to Pennsylvania Supreme Court arguments over the constitutionality of state laws. Referred to in media reports as “counsel of choice for state Republicans in a number of recent policy fights” for his work on matters that garner national press attention, Matt has a strong understanding of local, state and federal governments, their stakeholders and the media.
Matt also specializes in defending religious organizations in criminal, grand jury and civil investigations of sexual abuse. He is well known for his ability to defend important government public policy decisions in front of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, having argued there 7 times in the past few years. Matt also frequently represents both private and public entities in white collar criminal matters, regulatory investigations and high stakes civil litigation.
Matt understands the critical importance of serving as a trusted advisor and counselor to his clients and not just as their litigation counsel. He is adept at handling media inquiries often acting as a spokesman on behalf of his clients in high profile matters and has been interviewed and featured in articles in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NPR, Time, the BBC and other national and international print and television outlets. He has handled various high profile matters with success, including his litigation against the NCAA which overturned all sanctions against Penn State and caused the NCAA’s ceding of control of a $60 million trust, resulting in the funds being solely spent in Pennsylvania to combat child abuse.
Fordham University Law School (J.D., 1996)
Editor, Fordham Law Review
Moot Court Board Member
Mulligan Moot Court Competition Finalist
Rendigs National Moot Court Competition
Bucknell University (B.A., 1992)
Pennsylvania
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Middle District of Pennsylvania
Southern District of New York
Eastern District of New York
United States Supreme Court
Memberships
Co-Chair, American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime Committee, Public Corruption and Extortion Sub Committee
Board Member, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency
Philadelphia Bar Association
Recognition and Accomplishments
Matt is listed in Chambers USA: The Client’s Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Commercial Litigation (2015 – present), is recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, and has been named in the 2020 and 2021 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Criminal Defense: White-Collar.
Speaking and Publications
Quoted, Despite Abuse Horrors, Attys Feel Duty To Defend The Church, Law360, August 17, 2018
Presentation before the United States Representatives regarding the NCAA Accountability Act and the recommended restructuring necessary to ensure that the NCAA can truly follow its original by-laws; hosted by U.S. Representatives Charlie Dent, Bobby Rush, John Katko, and Joyce Beatty, October 2015.
The Future of Robinson Township in the Courts, Philadelphia Bar Institute Seventh Annual Oil and Gas Law Colloquium, September 2015
Prior Experience
Prior to joining Kleinbard, Matt was a partner at Conrad O’Brien PC. He has also practiced at Barley Snyder, Arkin Kaplan & Cohen and Proskauer Rose.