Matthew Kline

Partner

Matt Kline is a partner in O'Melveny's Century City office and a member of the Business Trial and Litigation Practice.

As a trial lawyer, Matt has helped try some of the Firm’s most complex cases—both for plaintiffs and defendants, and across a wide range of disciplines.  In addition to his trial work, Matt has experience successfully litigating numerous cases before trial, on appeal, and in arbitration. Matt also serves as counsel for companies and individuals in pre-litigation matters, as well as on transactions, and has done extensive pro bono and public policy work while at the Firm.

Illustrative Professional Experience

Matt’s successful trial work includes:

• A confidential arbitration representing a major videogame developer in a case involving contract, patent, trade secret, copyright, trademark, and unfair competition claims.  Matt’s work on the case—which involved over US$300 million in royalty claims—included witness examinations, major brief writing assignments, and second-chairing the case at trial.  Matt has extensive experience briefing and trying the most complicated intellectual property matters.
• A five-month jury trial in Houston defending Jeffrey Skilling, the former CEO of Enron, in his criminal trial.  Matt’s work, as primary brief writer for the team, was featured in the Houston Chronicle. Matt was also the lead associate preparing Mr. Skilling to testify. Matt assisted on all aspects of the trial, from argument to witness examination, to working with experts on complicated accounting issues and insider-trading allegations.  Matt is working on Mr. Skilling’s appeal and has experience litigating almost every legal issue that can be presented in a white-collar prosecution.
• A bench trial in San Francisco defending a major bookseller against a Robinson-Patman Act antitrust case challenging its core business model.  Matt’s work included all the major brief writing, working with expert witnesses, and assisting in the preparation of opening statements and witness examinations.  The trial ended after one week in what was labeled by the national press as a “complete surrender” by plaintiffs.
• Two years defending a major energy company in a series of lawsuits, arising out of investments its subsidiaries made in Myanmar (Burma).  Matt’s work included drafting appellate briefs (including before the US and California Supreme Courts), and drafting all the major briefs in connection with a bench trial, in which our client prevailed, on plaintiffs’ alter-ego claims.  O’Melveny’s work on this case was featured in the American Lawyer article naming it the Litigation Department of the Year and Matt has represented a number of companies in Alien Tort Statute cases of this sort.
• A month-long jury trial in Southern California serving as plaintiff’s counsel in a multi-million dollar products liability case.  Matt’s work as second chair in the trial included witness examinations, law-and-motion practice, and work on opening and closing arguments.

In addition to his trial work, Matt has successfully:

• Defended a worldwide apparel company against libel and trademark actions in cases that not only resulted in victory for our client, but in its being awarded fees and costs.  (Matt has extensive experience in these and other cases involving California’s Anti-SLAPP laws.)
• Defended a leading online portal company in a series of lawsuits involving its international activities and claims asserted under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, California's privacy and unfair competition laws, the Alien Tort Statute, and international law.
• Defended a major television studio in a first-of-its-kind copyright class action involving the use of music on television programs.
• Defended a major motion picture studio in a fraud and breach of contract case brought in Texas.  (Matt has experience from this and other cases successfully enforcing arbitration agreements.)
• Represented a well-known music video director as the plaintiff in a fraud case against his business partners, as well as a defendant in in a wrongful death action.
• Represented a sports investment bank and professional sports teams in a variety of disputes.
• Represented professional sports teams in contract and tort cases.
• Advised a leading private equity firm on corporate structure issues.
• Represented one of the world’s leading multinational companies in pre-election challenges to voter initiatives.
• Handled a number of smaller matters (including transactional work), ranging from arbitrations to the acquisition of a well-known furniture company, to serving as outside general counsel to a videogame developer.

Pro Bono and Public Policy Work

Matt has also worked extensively on pro bono matters during his tenure at O’Melveny.  His pro bono work has been recognized by the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and includes work for MALDEF, work on housing and immigration matters, and two well-publicized victories in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Matt has been asked to teach and speak at several law schools, including UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley, Southwestern, and the University of Richmond. 

Matt serves as Counsel to former Secretary of State Warren Christopher on the National War Powers Commission. The Commission—which was sponsored by the Miller Center at the University of Virginia and co-chaired by former Secretaries of State Christopher and James Baker III—released its findings and report in July 2008 and continues its work.

Matt also serves on the Advisory Board for the Berkeley Center for Law Business & the Economy; he is a Member of the Pacific Council on International Policy; and he serves as Chair of the Warren Christopher Scholarship Committee, which awards college scholarships to sophomores from the Los Angeles Unified School District who have overcome significant challenges to achieve academic excellence and superior citizenship.

Before joining O’Melveny, Matt attended law school at UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law, where he graduated in the top five of his class and served as Editor-in-Chief of the California Law Review.  After law school, Matt served as law clerk for the Honorable Edward R. Becker, then-Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Professional Activities

Advisory Board Member,  Berkeley Center for Law Business & the Economy
Member,  Pacific Council on International Policy
Staff Member,  National War Powers Commission
Chairman, Warren Christopher Scholarship Committee
Author,  The Line Item Veto Case and the Separation of Powers, 88 Calif. L. Rev. 181 (2000); Mainstream Loudoun v. Bd. of Trustees of the Loudoun County Library, 14 Berk. Tech. L.J. 347 (1999); Remarks from the Investiture of Judge William A. Fletcher, 87 Calif. L. Rev. 511, 516 (1999)
Law Clerk,  Honorable Edward R. Becker, Chief Judge, US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
Judicial Extern,  Honorable J. Anthony Kline, Presiding Justice, California Court of Appeals
Intern,  Felony I Investigator, District of Columbia Public Defender Service
Awards,  Named a “Rising Star” in a survey conducted by Law & Politics Media Inc. and published in Los Angeles magazine (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)