Matthew A. White

Partner

Philadelphia

Tel 215.864.8849
Fax 215.864.8999

Matthew White is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department and a member of the firm’s Elected Board. He represents institutional and corporate clients in high-stakes litigation and commercial disputes, including securities, commercial real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and construction matters. He is also frequently called upon to prosecute and defend injunction proceedings and to lead complex matters through arbitration from initial filings through hearing and award.

A seasoned commercial litigator who represents major corporations, institutional investors, financial institutions, and public entities in their most high-stakes disputes, Matt’s practice spans construction and real estate litigation, gaming and entertainment, corporate governance and shareholder disputes, financial services enforcement, securities-adjacent litigation, and regulatory defense. Clients value his ability to step into high-pressure situations, understand the underlying business context quickly, and drive toward resolution, whether that means preparing for a multi-day arbitration hearing, arguing an emergency injunction, or negotiating settlements.

Services

Representative Experience

Representative Matters

Lead lawyer for an Ivy League university in resolving delay and scope claims by the construction manager associated with a $300 million museum project.
Lead lawyer for a Fortune 100 logistics company and obtained an injunction against a departing group of employees to protect trade secrets—a case made difficult due to the absence of any restrictive covenants—before the Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas.
Lead lawyer for an LLC member in a dispute involving corporate deadlock, derivative claims, and requests to stay or compel arbitration, including Special Litigation Committee proceedings and mediation. This matter was litigated in both AAA arbitration and in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.

Lead lawyer for a client defending an adverse possession claim involving seven acres of industrial zoned land in the City of Philadelphia. After discovery and obtaining partial summary judgment in client’s favor, the matter resolved with ownership established in favor of the client.
Lead lawyer in a Delaware Superior Court case involving an earn-out dispute for the sale of a billion-dollar wind-generation subsidiary. The matter proceeded to summary judgment, and Matt’s client prevailed on its interpretation of the applicable contractual language.
Lead counsel for one of three national manufacturers of a class of industrial products in multiple antitrust class actions brought in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging price-fixing and brought on behalf of direct and indirect purchasers. Following discovery, the matters were favorably resolved with no out-of-pocket payment by the client.
Lead lawyer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in litigation related to its implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The initial preliminary injunction hearing involved mastering a voluminous administrative record, including multiple environmental, economic, and health studies, in less than one week. Although the initiative was ultimately abandoned by a new governmental administration, Matt argued multiple appeals before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Lead lawyer for a manufacturing company in enforcing a perpetual supply contract in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. This infrequently litigated matter resulted in a favorable resolution and a definitive agreement that remained in effect for more than a decade.
Lead lawyer in a merger and acquisition case in the Delaware Court of Chancery, defending owners of a business sold to a publicly traded company. The acquiring company sued the sellers for fraud and misrepresentation. Following mediation, Matt resolved the case for $0 on the purchaser's claims and secured a payment on his clients' counterclaims for an earn-out withheld by the purchaser.
Lead lawyer representing the European acquirer of a U.S. business in Delaware Superior Court. After successfully overcoming preliminary motions to dismiss our client’s fraud and misrepresentation claims, Matt and his team recovered most of the original purchase price from the seller and from the representations and warranty insurer.
Represented a national retailer in a commercial lease dispute. After defeating the counterclaim on summary judgment, the case proceeded to an AAA arbitration hearing, where Matt obtained a complete victory, including interest, costs of arbitration, pre- and post-award interest, and attorney's fees. The award was affirmed by federal district court and by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Defended a major investment bank against securities claims brought by two plaintiffs in a FINRA arbitration. After an 11-day hearing in which one key witness admitted that she lied and another refused to answer a question on the basis that it would "hurt his case," the panel, in a reasoned decision, granted a complete defense award ($0) against one plaintiff and minimal award (less than $45,000) against the other. The panel denied the claimants' requests for punitive damages and attorney's fees.
Represented the owner of a 95-acre industrial manufacturing facility against a prospective purchaser who threatened to publicize false and misleading statements about the property. In this "drop everything" case that played out in state court in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, Matt successfully obtained a temporary, and then preliminary, injunction from the Tennessee Chancery Court enjoining publication of the commercially defamatory material, achieving a rare prior restraint of speech over state and federal constitutional arguments in favor of publication.

Professional Highlights

Pro Bono Experience

Matt routinely represents Philadelphia residents in matters involving fraudulent challenges to real estate title and tenant-side landlord-tenant disputes. He also participates in Wills for Heroes, drafting estate planning documents for first responders, and counsels parents on issues surrounding their children's intellectual disabilities.

Professional Activities

American Bar Association

Philadelphia Bar Association, State Civil Litigation Section

Recognition & Accomplishments

Philadelphia Business Journal, 'Best of the Bar,' 2022

The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (Philadelphia), 2013-2027

AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell, 2012-2026

Speaking Engagements

Matt is a frequent speaker at Continuing Legal Education seminars on such topics as civil practice, temporary restraining orders and injunctive relief, and legal writing.

Board Memberships & Community Service

For over 20 years, Matt served as General Counsel for the Jewish Family & Children's Services of Greater Philadelphia and a member of its Executive Committee.

Publications

The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Civil Practice Manual, 7th through 18th editions, 1995 to 2017

Related Insights

Credentials

Education

Vanderbilt University Law School (J.D. 1989)

Harvard University (A.B., cum laude, 1986)

Admissions

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit