Matthew D. Fender Partner

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Matt is a trial lawyer and commercial litigator who represents clients in commercial, environmental, and insurance coverage matters. He regularly appears in state and federal courts throughout the United States.

He also frequently represents clients in arbitration. Matt has defended the owner of a coal-fired power plant against a class-action involving air pollution claims, tried a case involving contractual indemnity for PCB contamination, successfully sued an insurer for tortious interference with contract, and tried a commercial arbitration to recover insurance proceeds for a policy holder. Matt is skilled at handling all aspects of discovery as well as development of expert and fact witnesses in preparation for trial. A substantial part of Matt’s practice involves taking and defending depositions.

Matt also practices in the area of real estate litigation, handling matters that include resolving title issues and easements, zoning, landlord-tenant disputes, and eminent domain. He has tried numerous eminent domain cases and regularly advises clients on property rights issues.

Matt has an active pro bono practice that includes representing indigent clients in landlord tenant matters as well as constitutional and civil liberties litigation. In 2016 he obtained a $3 million jury verdict for a pro bono client in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Matthew worked for Microsoft Consulting Services in Washington D.C. and New York, as well as Standard and Poor’s.