Matthew G. Moffett
Matthew G. Moffet

Contact Information

Address:
1700 Atlanta Plaza
950 East Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30326


Phone:
404-870-7390


Fax:
404-870-1030


E-mail:
mmoffett@grsmb.com


Attorney Blog
www.grsmb.com/moffett



Videos














Photography


Mr. Moffett presenting to lawyers from across the country at the Litigation Counsel of America, Renaissance Symposium in New York City, 2011.


Mr. Moffett instructing at the 2012 Trial Academy of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association.


Mr. Moffett speaks to the State Bar of Georgia in February 2012 on successfully trying the defense of a personal injury case.

Biography

Matt Moffett is a civil litigation defense attorney of 22 years, handling cases in both state and federal courts. His legal ability is rated “AV”, as published in Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating afforded to lawyers by their peers. He is listed among the Georgia Super Lawyers in Atlanta Magazine, most recently as one of the top 100 lawyers in Georgia, and among the Legal Elite in Georgia Trend magazine.

As panel counsel for many national insurers and third party administrators, Mr. Moffett is regularly called upon to evaluate and negotiate pending claims and to defend cases having significant damages exposure. Over the last two years, he has tried eight major cases to successful verdicts for his clients.  Four of these cases involved contended wrongful death where each plaintiff’s attorney asked the jury to award between $4 million and $5 million dollars in damages.  Another case involved an employment action wherein Mr. Moffett attained a defense verdict for a religious institution sued for over a million dollars in damages.  In 2010, Mr. Moffett argued and prevailed before the Georgia Supreme Court in a serious injury case involving qualified immunity of a government employee and in 2011 argued and prevailed before the Georgia Court of Appeals in a negligent security, wrongful death case.

Mr. Moffett’s civil litigation defense practice involves:

  • Property and Casualty claims (defense of serious injury and wrongful death claims in premises liability, products liability, auto and motor carrier cases)
  • Multi-District Litigation (defense of toxic tort claims)
  • Employment Practices Litigation (defense of public and private employers)
  • Education Law (defense of public school systems and independent schools)
  • Insurance coverage (declaratory judgment actions and defense of first party claims)
  • Insurance subrogation (product failure, fire loss, water intrusion)
  • Professional Liability (errors and omissions defense).

A representative listing of the appellate cases handled by Mr. Moffett at the state and federal level is found below under Representative Appellate Cases.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Mr. Moffett stayed in Georgia for college and law school. He attended and majored in journalism at the University of Georgia, where he graduated cum laude. He then attended Emory School of Law, where his father also had attended and graduated.

While at Emory School of Law, Mr. Moffett was selected to become a part of the Emory Moot Court Society. Representing his law school, he then competed in the Georgia Intrastate Moot Court Competition where he was selected as the Best Advocate. From there he competed for Emory regionally and nationally in the National Moot Court Competition, again being selected as the Best Advocate and helping Emory win the national championship. Emory subsequently named him the outstanding member of the Moot Court Society. Thereafter, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers recognized him with their Litigation Award, and he was selected into membership in the Order of the Barristers.

During the early years of his private law practice, Emory asked Mr. Moffett to return annually as an Adjunct Professor of Law and teach by lecture and demonstration on effective appellate advocacy. When a West Publishing affiliate learned about his teaching at Emory, they asked Mr. Moffett to create an audiotape program on appellate advocacy, which continues in circulation under the title “Moot Court Success” (Sum & Substance).

This commitment to teaching has always been important to Mr. Moffett, who regularly presents on relevant legal issues and developments to his clients and his lawyer peers. During 2010, he was a featured speaker at the annual seminar of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, the annual Insurance Law Institute and the annual Premises Liability Seminar of the State Bar of Georgia. In 2011, Mr. Moffett presented “Persuasive Use of Technology in the Courtroom” at the annual meeting of the Defense Research Institute in Washington, D.C., and “Trying the Un-winnable Case” at the Renaissance Symposium IV of the Litigation Counsel of America in New York City. In 2012, Mr. Moffett instructed at the Trial Academy of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association and presented for the State Bar of Georgia on “Defense of a Personal Injury Case.”

Mr. Moffett is a Charter Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation only, honorary society representing less than one half of one percent of American lawyers for effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation and trial work, along with ethical reputation. He also was selected as a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an organization recognizing lawyers for skill, civility and integrity.

Mr. Moffett is vice president and a member of the board of directors for the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, which is dedicated to enhance the knowledge and improve the skills of defense lawyers. He is a former board member of the Atlanta Claims Association, and a member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, which is comprised of risk managers, claims managers and adjusters, general counsel, insurance company executives, attorneys, brokers and service providers dedicated to the principles and practices of litigation management. His other memberships are with the Atlanta Bar Association, State Bar of Georgia, Defense Research Institute and Lawyer’s Club of Atlanta.

Mr. Moffett is a Lifetime Fellow of the Atlanta Bar Foundation, which supports public service projects that assist youth, provide pro bono legal services, and promote higher education through scholarships. He previously served on the board of directors of Global Health Action, a non-profit organization addressing the world’s most pressing health problems, and also on the board of directors for the Silver Lake Civic Association, which manages the preservation of two lakes and a multi acre wilderness area in metro Atlanta.

Matt is married to his high school sweetheart Diane, and they have two daughters, Kate and Megan, who attend Marist School and St. Martin’s Episcopal School, respectively, with Matt serving as a trustee at St. Martin’s. The family attends Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, where Matt has chaired the Administrative Board and now teaches in the adult education program. The family enjoys traveling with their church to Nicaragua after Christmas to build homes in partnership with local organizations in ministry to provide humanitarian and spiritual aid.

 


Mr. Moffett in the News:

April 2012 | Role of Bullying in Teen Suicide Disputed

April 2012 | Assigning Fault Heard on Appeal

December 2011 | Matt Moffett Speaks at Litigation Counsel of America

June 2011 | Switch Pays off for Defense Lawyer

June 2010 | Case Highlights Debate Over Apportionment

June 2010 | Kia Defends Against Wrongful Death Suit

April 2010 | Vassilieva v. Crowe

March 2010 | Defense Uses ‘Reptile’ Strategy Against Keenan

Client and Lawyer Testimonials:

View testimonials here

Current Employment Position(s):

  • Partner

Areas of Practice:

  • Accidents and Personal Injury
  • Automobile Liability
  • Business and Commercial Litigation
  • Constitutional/Civil Rights Litigation
  • Employment Practices Litigation
  • Governmental Immunity
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Insurance Defense
  • Insurance Subrogation
  • Motor Carrier Liability
  • Premises Liability
  • Products Liability
  • Professional Liability

Litigation Percentage:

  • 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:

  • Georgia, 1990
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia, 1991
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 1990
  • Georgia Court of Appeals, 1990
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1990
  • Supreme Court of Georgia, 1990

Education:

Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia, 1990 J.D.

  • Honors: Order of the Barristers
  • Honors: Emory Moot Court Society, 1988-1990, Outstanding Member, 1990
  • Honors: Best Oralist, Georgia Intrastate Moot Court Competition, 1989
  • Honors: Best Oralist, Regional Rounds, 40th Annual National Moot Court Comp., 1989
  • Honors: Winner and Best Advocate, 40th Annual National Moot Court Competition, 1990
  • Honors: Recipient, International Academy of Trial Lawyers Litigation Award

University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 1987 A.B.J.

  • Honors: Cum Laude

Published Works:

  • Moot Court Success, Sum and Substance, West, 1992
  • Creation and Existence of Agency Relationship (Georgia Jurisprudence: Employment and Labor), Co-Author, Lawyer’s Cooperative Publishing, 1995

Representative Clients:

  • ACE Group
  • Amtrust
  • Argo Group/Colony Specialty
  • AXIS U.S. Insurance
  • Berkley Risk Administrators
  • Broadspire- a Crawford Co.
  • Catlin, Inc.
  • Chubb & Son, Inc.
  • CNA
  • ESIS
  • First Mercury Insurance Company
  • Founders Insurance Company
  • GMAC Insurance
  • Gallagher Bassett Services
  • Greater Atlanta Christian School
  • Insituform Technologies
  • Liberty Mutual
  • Marriott
  • Maxum Specialty Insurance Group
  • Schnitzer International
  • Sedgwick Claims Management Services
  • Standard Parking Company
  • Tenant Access, Inc.
  • Utica National Insurance Group
  • Watkins Associated Companies
  • XL Insurance America

Representative Appellate Cases:

  • Jennings v. Moss, Appellate Procedure, 235 Ga.App. 357, 509 S.E.2d 655 (1998)
  • Carroll v. Americal Corp., Automobile/Employer Liability, 207 Ga.App. 651, 428 S.E.2d 811 (1993)
  • Dupree v. Goodrum, Automobile/Negligence, 201 Ga.App. 114, 410 S.E. 2d 332, 70 Educ. L. Rep. (1991)
  • Duffy v. Lyles, Civil Procedure, 281 Ga. App. 377, 636 S.E.2d 91 (2006)
  • Jackson v. Nguyen, Civil Procedure, 225 Ga.App. 599, 484 S.E.2d 337 (1997)
  • Christian v. Cartersville City Schools Bd. of Educ., Civil Rights, 1981 and 1983 and Title VII, 167 Fed.Appx.89, 2006 WL72998, 208 Ed. Law Rep.211 (11th Cir. 2006)
  • Dennis v. Putnam County BOE, Civil Rights/1983, 260Fed.Appx.171, 2007 WL4438639, 231 Ed.Law Rep.60 (11th Cir. 2007)
  • Palmer v. Stewart County School Dist., Civil Rights/Discrimination/1981, 215Fed.Appx.822, 2007WL177666, 219 Ed.Law Rep.465 (11th Cir. 2007)
  • Pryor v. CCEC, Inc., Contract/Deceptive Trade Practices, 257 Ga.App. 450, 571 S.E.2d 454 (2002)
  • Hampton v. Norred & Associates, Inc., False Imprisonment, 216 Ga.App. 367, 454 S.E.2d 222 (1995)
  • Parrish v. Jones, Fraud/Contract (2006)
  • Larkins v. Cobb County School Dist., Governmental Immunity, 225 Ga.App. 387, 484S.E.2d10, 117 Educ.L.Rep.792 (1997)
  • AEW #2 Corporation et. al. v. Federal Insurance Company, Insurance Subrogation, Indemnification, Insurance Risk Shifting Provisions, 2004 WL 1505473 (A04A0576) (GA Ct of Appeals 2004)
  • ACE Fire Underwriters Ins. Co. v. ALC Controls, Inc., Insurance Subrogation/Products Liability, 2008 WL 2229121 (N.D.Ga. 2008)
  • Cook v. Partain, Intentional Torts, 224 Ga.App. 251 480 S.E.2d 279 (1997)
  • Parks v. Norred & Associates, Inc., Malicious Prosecution, 206 Ga.App. 494, 426 S.E.2d 12 (1992)
  • Myers v. Texaco Refining & Marketing, Inc., Premises Liability/Third Party Indemnification, 205 Ga.App. 292, 422 S.E.2d 216 (1992)
  • Thomas v. Deason, Premises Liability, 289 Ga.App. 753, 658 S.E.2d 165 (2008)
  • Grammens v. Dollar, Qualified Immunity, 287 Ga. 618, 697 S.E.2d775 (2010)
  • Cochran v. E.I. duPont de Nemours, Toxic Tort/Products Liability, 933F.2d1533,1992 A.M.C.2599,Prod.Liab.Rep.(CCH)P12 (838 11th Cir.(Ga.) 1991)
  • Pacheco v Regal Cinemas, Inc., Negligent Security, Wrongful Death, 2011 WL 2716556 (Ga. Ct. App., 2011)
  • Dominic v Eurocar Classics, Product Liability, 2011 WL 2697056 (Ga. Ct. App., 2011)
  • Cohen v Alfred and Adele Davis Academy, Inc., School Liability, 2011 WL 2419761 (Ga. Ct. App., 2011)
  • Raines v. Maughan, 2011 WL 5141508 (Ga. Ct. App. 2011), Premises Liability-Wrongful Death
  • McDowell v. Hartzog, 2011 WL 4389719 (Ga. Ct. App. 2011), Motor Vehicle Injury

Classes/Seminars Taught:

  • Adjunct Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law, 1992 – 1998
  • Conducting an Effective Cross Examination in Georgia, 2001
  • Premises Liability Seminar, 2002
  • Third Party Indemnification, 2003
  • Federal Removal Strategies, 2004
  • Mediation: Tips and Tools, 2005
  • How to Try and Lose Your Case in the Media, 2006
  • Deal or No Deal: Defending the Bad Faith Case, 2007
  • Understanding the Implications of Thurman v. State Farm on Available UM/UIM Coverage Calculations in GA,  2008
  • Excluding Experts Under Daubert, 2008
  • Yes We Can! Tendering Defense and Indemnity, 2009
  • Medicare’s New Mandatory Reporting, 2009
  • The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Emerging Technology – What You, Your Faculty & Staff Must Know to Keep Students Safe,  2010
  • Turning the Strategy of the Plaintiff to Your Advantage, 2010
  • Closing Argument: What We Can Learn From Our Younger Days of Show and Tell, 2010
  • Defending a Negligent Security Case – Preparing for Trial, 2010
  • Technology Killed the Dinosaur: How to Defeat the Plaintiffs’ Bars’ Latest Reptile Strategy, DRI Annual Meeting, 2011
  • Trying the Un-winnable Case – Effective Use of Technology in the Courtroom, Renaissance Symposium IV of the Litigation Counsel of America, 2011
  • Instructor – Trial Academy of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, 2012
  • Defense of a personal injury case – State Bar of Georgia, 2012
  • Apportionment in a Post Tort Reform World – Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, 2012

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • Atlanta Bar Association
  • State Bar of Georgia
  • Atlanta Claims Association
  • Defense Research Institute
  • The Lawyers Club of Atlanta
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Litigation Counsel of America
    -Charter Fellow
  • Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
    -Vice President, Board of Directors
  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
    -Fellow
  • Atlanta Bar Foundation
    -Charter Lifetime and Sustaining Fellow

Honors & Awards:

  • Georgia Super Lawyers, Atlanta Magazine
  • Legal Elite, Georgia Trend Magazine
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Litigation Counsel of America:

    • Member, Diversity Law Institute
    Member, The Trial Institute

  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance

Pro Bono Activities:

  • Peachtree Road United Methodist Church

    • -Administrative Board Chairman, 1996
    -Staff Parish Relations Committee
    -Adult Education Teacher

  • Silver Lake Civic Association

    • -Board of Directors

  • Atlanta Bar Foundation

    • -Charter Lifetime and Sustaining Fellow

  • Global Health Action

    • -Board of Directors, 2002 – 2003

  • St. Martin’s Episcopal School

    • -Board of Trustees, 2008 – Current

Birth Information:

  • September 5, 1965, Atlanta, Georgia