Matthew Pawa

After many years of practicing law on his own, Matt decided to merge his law firm with the law firm of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. He is co-leading Hagen Berman’s environmental practice group with the managing partner of that law firm.

Attorney Matthew was a general practice litigator who has represented governments, non-profit groups, citizens, and large and small businesses in a wide range of environmental, constitutional, commercial, real estate, and personal injury cases, including class actions and individual cases. Matthew has represented the State of New Hampshire for a decade in a groundwater pollution case that has recovered over $100 million to date and resulted in a $236 million verdict against ExxonMobil in 2013 after a three month trial. Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly recognized Matthew in 2013 as a Massachusetts Lawyer of the Year for his work on the New Hampshire case. Prior to entering private practice, he served as an assistant county prosecutor in Burlington, Vermont. Matthew is the recipient of the national Scribes Award for excellence in legal writing and the Fred G. Leebron Prize for constitutional writing.

Matthew also has pioneered the use of tort theories against greenhouse gas polluters in cases such as Connecticut v. American Electric Power and Kivalina v. ExxonMobil. He regularly argues in federal and state appellate courts and handles civil trials for a wide array of clients. He is a regular speaker at bar association events and law schools, has written a number of law review articles, has received a national award for excellence in legal writing and is frequently quoted in the press on legal topics.

Matthew holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.S. from Cornell University.