Matt Kairis has spent more than 30 years trying class actions, winning verdicts in mass tort, financial regulation, and consumer fraud litigation. He currently serves as lead counsel for all collegiate institutions in the national football concussion MDL (multidistrict litigation) pending in Chicago federal court, a consolidation of more than 500 class actions against the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and its member institutions. Matt routinely handles high-profile matters, such as assisting Notre Dame following a videographer's fatal accident during football practice, defending nationwide legal attacks on electronic voting systems for the industry's leading manufacturer, and leading all litigation efforts in the wake of the multibillion dollar collapse and FBI raid on National Century Financial.
On behalf of First American Financial, Matt obtained the complete reversal of what would have been the largest punitive damages award in an economic injury case in Ohio history. He served as lead trial counsel for First American defeating a putative multibillion dollar consumer fraud RESPA (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act) class action and defends mortgage servicers in various servicing class actions. Matt was a member of the lead trial team representing R.J. Reynolds in a $2 billion tobacco class action that resulted in a jury defense verdict, named one of the "Top Defense Wins of the Year" by The National Law Journal.
Matt's trial experience began at a unique program at Harvard Law, serving as a Massachusetts prosecutor with a perfect conviction rate in north Boston. He is the Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day's Texas Region, which encompasses two offices and nearly 200 lawyers.
Experience
Speaking Engagements
- February 19, 2014
Effective Implementation of Federal Servicing Rules/RESPA and CFPB Compliance, Mortgage Bankers Association National Servicing Conference - December 9, 2010
Principles of Crisis Management
- Harvard University (J.D. cum laude 1991; Editor, Journal of Law and Public Policy); University of Notre Dame (B.A. with honors 1988)
- Texas; Ohio; U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, Northern District of Illinois (General Bar and Trial Bar), Northern District of Indiana, and Western and Eastern Districts of Michigan; U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits; and U.S. Supreme Court
Chambers USA for commercial litigation (2019)
Recommended litigator by The Legal 500 US (2010), where he is praised as "responsive and proactive" in major representations
Super Lawyers — Corporate Counsel Edition
Ohio Super Lawyers for complex litigation (multiple years)
Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation (multiple years)