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Matthew D. Durham Attorney

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Dallas T +1 214 932 6466 F fax +1 214 273 7496
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Matt’s practice is concentrated on the interests of the financial services sector. His litigation and trial practice routinely includes defending against claims of fraud, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and unreasonable debt collection efforts, as well as against federal and state statutory claims, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, and Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

Matt is experienced in civil and administrative advocacy. Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Matt served as legal counsel for a Texas municipality. There, his practice focused largely on defense against state claims brought under the Texas Tort Claims Act and federal claims brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Matt also previously practiced at an energy law boutique where he represented both corporate and individual clients before the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Matt earned a law degree and a master’s degree in public administration from Texas Tech University. While in the joint degree program, Matt assisted non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) formation and grant writing. Matt continues to look for ways to serve his community.

Experience

  • Represented a trade association of competitive retail electric providers in a rulemaking proceeding that established the companies’ required disclosures to customers.
  • Represented a group of landowners in the first proceeding to route electric transmission lines within Texas’ Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ). Successfully prevented the lines from traversing their properties.
  • Negotiated and drafted economic incentive agreements on behalf of a municipality, including incentives for a retail-anchored development and a data center project.
  • Represented a city before the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in an appeal of a tax deficiency notice.
  • Advised city on its brief in opposition to a petition for writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court involving an excessive force/Section 1983 case. The Court denied the petition and upheld the Fifth Circuit’s favorable ruling.
  • Defended a municipality in a premises defect claim and later successfully defended the trial court’s dismissal of that claim in the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals.