Matthew Davis, Attorney

Mr. Davis is a graduate of Boston University and the University of California Hastings College of the Law. He obtained his law degree in 1989. Following law school he worked for a San Francisco litigation boutique until 1992, when he was recruited by the San Francisco City Attorney's Office. From 1992 through 2001, Mr. Davis served as a Deputy City Attorney representing the municipality and its employees in jury trials and appeals in both State and Federal Court.

Beginning in 1995, Matt was requested by then-City Attorney Louise Renne to prosecute in many of the ground breaking consumer protection lawsuits which the City filed against big businesses, including one which accused the Bank of America of mishandling government bond funds. That case settled for $187,000,000.

In 1997, Matt was lead attorney in suits brought by the City which alleged California's largest title insurers had defrauded consumers and the government. Those complaints resulted in verdicts and settlements totaling more than $75,000,000. While working on these matters, Matt notified authorities of improprieties which he discovered within the Office of the State Insurance Commissioner. Specifically, Matt uncovered information which demonstrated that Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush had taken action to favor insurance companies to the detriment of consumers. Quackenbush later resigned while under investigation. California Lawyer magazine credited Matt as playing a critical role in that outcome.

Matt has been responsible for a number of high-profile verdicts and settlements. Shortly after joining the firm, together with John Echeverria, he successfully tried a class action lawsuit on behalf of over 1,000 Reno Hilton Hotel guests who contracted viral gastroenteritis. The suit alleged that the casino violated State sanitation laws and acted in conscious disregard of its guests' safety. The jury awarded compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $25,000,000.

Recent Verdicts and Settlements

Magana v. Sunshine Construction
Construction Site Accident/Negligence: Obtained settlements with a total value of over $2.7 million for a laborer who sustained crush injuries to his abdomen when a retaining wall collapsed into a trench in which he was working. Defendant had been operating heavy machines next to the trench. A turning point in the case occurred when defendant's employee admitted at deposition that he had warned his supervisor that our client was working in an unsafe trench. The supervisor did not take any action in response and kept operating the heavy machines. (San Francisco)

Confidential v. CalTrans
Negligence/Dangerous Condition/Employer Liability: Obtained $2.73 million settlement from three different defendants on behalf of the widow and two young sons of a 39-year-old man killed when his car was struck by an SUV that jumped a median barrier. The driver of the SUV was on her way home from work when she hydroplaned and swerved into the median. She paid all of her available insurance into the settlement. Usually, an employer is not liable for accidents of its employees while commuting to or from work. The employer agreed to pay a substantial amount, however, after Matt developed evidence showing that the driver's supervisor asked her to drive to work so that she could run errands. He argued that her commute was work related. Finally, Matt developed evidence showing that the SUV crossed the median because the barrier did not meet Caltrans' own standards. The State contributed to the settlement. (Marin)

Fat Lee v. Hemsley Corporation
Premises Liability/Negligence/Punitive Damages: Obtained settlement of $2.7 million for husband and two adult daughters of a 54-year-old woman who was killed when a dead tree fell into a public roadway and struck her car. The tree stood on land that was part of a large apartment complex. Matt located the former property manager who testified that about three years before the accident she warned the complex owners that the trees next to the road were dying and in danger of falling and killing someone. (San Francisco)

Lown v. Mildenberger
Premises Liability/Negligence: Together with Richard Schoenberger obtained a $1,070,000 jury verdict after a two-week trial on behalf of a man who sustained a back fracture when a flag pole failed as he was attempting to change a banner on it. (Stockton)

Concerned Taxpayers v. City and County of San Francisco
Taxpayer Action/Pro Bono: Negotiated $25,000,000 settlement with the City and County of San Francisco on behalf of taxpayers who alleged that city was misspending funds earmarked for rebuilding Laguna Honda Hospital. (San Francisco)

Wong v. City and County of San Francisco
Dangerous Condition/Common Carrier: Obtained a $550,000 settlement on behalf of a 24-year-old woman who sustained a back fracture when tree limbs fell on to her as she waited for a bus. The tree, a Monterey cypress located inside Golden Gate Park, was about 100 years old. A turning point came when Matt found a 1980 report that warned the city that many cypress trees in the park were nearing the end of their lifespan and in danger of dropping large limbs. The city had no system of inspecting trees for their potential to fail and injure persons. The city argued that the accident was an act of God since it occurred during a winter storm. Matt countered that a bus stop was the one outside location where people were likely to stand during windy and rainy weather when limbs are most likely to fail which is why the city should have paid extra attention to the tree. (San Francisco)

Confidential v. Confidential Plumbing Company
Motor Vehicle/Negligence: $993,000 settlement obtained before filing a lawsuit on behalf of 48-year-old woman who sustained fractures and chemical burns when the van in which she was a passenger rolled over. (Bakersfield)

Confidential v. State of California (Caltrans)
Dangerous Condition of Public Property: Obtained $800,000 settlement on the fourth day of a jury trial on behalf of the family of a man who died when his van struck a tree that had fallen across a roadway maintained by Caltrans. (San Mateo)

Confidential v. Confidential
Motor Vehicle/Negligence: $382,000 settlement obtained on behalf of 40-year-old professional musician who sustained serious knee fracture in a motor vehicle accident. (San Francisco)
Confidential v. State of California

Confidential v. State of California
Motor Vehicle/Negligence: $365,000 settlement obtained on behalf of 28-year-old woman who sustained fractured wrist in a motor vehicle accident. (Glenn County)

Confidential v. Confidential
Motor Vehicle/Negligence/Punitive Damages: $325,000 settlement on behalf of passenger who sustained closed head injuries when driver of sports car peeled out and crashed into a ditch. The settlement involved the defendant driver paying $75,000 in addition to the policy limits of $250,000.

Confidential v. Confidential National Chain Store
Product Defect: $162,500 settlement obtained on behalf of 34-year-old police officer whose sustained third-degree burns to index finger when halogen lamp exploded and caught fire. (Sonoma County)

Confidential v. Confidential
Personal InjuryNegligence: $125,000 settlement obtained on behalf of infant and her parents after child was injured while in the care of her babysitter. (San Mateo)

Motor Vehicle Accidents
Truck Accidents
Paralysis/Spinal Injuries
Pedestrian Accidents
Brain Injury
Causes of Brain Injury
Closed Head Injury
Brain Stem Injury