Matthew M. Leland is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP and is based in the Firm’s Washington, D.C., office. For over seven years, he has focused his practice on complex litigation and political law.
On the litigation side of his practice, Matt has experience with appellate, trial and arbitration disputes and has represented clients in congressional and federal agency investigations. He has represented clients in many civil and criminal cases involving antitrust and competition law, breach of contract, bribery, campaign finance restrictions, conspiracy, defamation, fraud, trademark and patent infringement, money laundering and protection of trade secrets. Matt’s clients in these matters have included pharmaceutical researchers and manufacturers, high-technology corporations, construction and architectural firms, trade associations and elected officials.
On the political law side of his practice, Matt focuses on election law and government ethics. He has successfully represented clients in enforcement actions by the Federal Election Commission and other state enforcement agencies and has participated in multiple cases involving national political party committees. Matt also counsels candidates, corporations, nonprofit organizations, political action committees, political party committees and trade associations on all aspects of state and federal campaign finance laws. He advises clients on federal and state lobbying laws, legislative and executive branch ethics rules and “pay-to-play” restrictions.
During law school, Matt served as the Legislative Director to John E. Sununu in the U.S. House of Representatives and was his Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. Senate, where he handled Environmental, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Judiciary issues, among others. Matt also served as the Deputy Campaign Manager of Mr. Sununu’s successful first congressional campaign and was a member of his transition team. He served as a grassroots staff member on the presidential campaigns of publisher Steve Forbes and California Governor Pete Wilson during New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary. As an undergraduate, Matt interned for former Congressman William H. Zeliff, Jr.
Matt is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Eleventh, and Federal Circuits, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 2004
- University of New Hampshire, B.A., 1995
