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Matthew W. Allen

Counsel

Tel: 601-973-8728
Fax: 601-960-6902

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Practice Areas

Appellate
Commercial Litigation
Defamation / First Amendment / Media
Environmental Law
Environmental Litigation
Governmental Relations
Personal Injury, Mass Torts, and Product Liability
White Collar Criminal Defense

Matthew W. Allen

Counsel

Biography

Matt has been at the Brunini Law Firm since 2005. Prior to that he clerked for the Honorable William H. Barbour, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. He has extensive experience in federal and state trial and appellate courts and he has litigated a range of complex commercial, product liability, tax, public record, media, and constitutional disputes. He has also advised private entities and non-profits on general business and regulatory matters, and state officeholders and agencies and local government bodies on various legal issues ranging from successfully litigating constitutional issues related to the redistricting of the state legislature to the U.S. Supreme Court, twice, advising a local government on Covid-19 expenditures under the CARES and Stafford Acts, and advising a board of supervisors on the many issues faced by local government.

Matt has the highest peer review rating available by Martindale-Hubbell (AV). Super Lawyers has recognized him since 2014 as one of the top lawyers in the Mid-South, and Best Lawyers in America has recognized him since 2016. For four consecutive years until he was 40, the American Society of Legal Advocates recognized him as one of the Top 40 under 40 litigators in the entire State of Mississippi. In 2018, he was recognized by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of Mississippi’s Leading Attorneys.

Outside of professional duties, Matt dedicates time to Opera Mississippi as a Board member, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy as a Board Member, and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral, where he is a parishioner and current member of the Vestry. He is an avid runner and has run in numerous marathons and half-marathons. He and his wife, Megan, an evening news anchor, are the proud parents of a daughter, Hartley, and son, Thatcher.

 

Education

  • J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, 2004 (National Moot Court Team)
  • Ph.D. Candidate, University of Southern Mississippi (dissertation in progress)
  • M.B.A., Millsaps College, Else School of Management, 2001
  • B.A., Mississippi State University, 2000 (Student Association President, finalist for Rhodes Scholarship)

Admissions

  • Mississippi (2004)
  • United States District Courts of Mississippi (2004)
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (2004)
  • United States Supreme Court (2011)

Community & Professional Activities

  • American Bar Association, Section on Environment, Energy and Resources Law (SEER)
  • Mississippi Bar Association, Section on Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law (SONREEL)
  • National Institute of Trial Advocacy Graduate
  • Air and Waste Management Association
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Mississippi Center for Public Policy, Board of Directors and Contributing Fellow
  • Opera Mississippi, Board of Directors
  • St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral, Vestry
  • Mississippi 30 Day Fund, Advisory Board of Directors (offering forgivable loans financed by private donations to small businesses of three to 30 employees in the wake of Covid-19)
  • Jackson Rotary Club
  • The Hundred Club (provides financial assistance to dependent widows and children of Jackson Police and Firemen and Hinds County Sheriff’s Officers)
  • Graduate of Leadership Mississippi and Leadership Greater Jackson
  • Service in the past on numerous boards of directors:
    • Jackson Rotary Club
    • New Stage Theatre
    • Greater Jackson Arts Council
    • Capital Club
    • Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar
    • Mississippi State University Central Mississippi Alumni Association
    • I.S. Sanders (Farish Street) YMCA
    • Past Chair of the Torts, Trials, & Insurance Committee of the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association

Speeches & Publications

Speeches, Presentations, & Publications on Legal Topics

  • Allen, M. (2020, September 20). Presidential Platforms for Environmental Law. Mississippi Business Journal. Located at https://msbusiness.com/2020/09/matt-allen-presidential-platforms-for-environmental-law/
  • Allen, M. (2020, August 24). A Circuit Split on Title V Permits under the Clean Air Act. Located at https://www.brunini.com/a-circuit-split-on-title-v-permits-under-the-clean-air-act/
  • Allen, M. (2020, April 2). Statewide Shelter-in-Place Order in Plain English. Located at https://www.brunini.com/statewide-shelter-in-place-order-in-plain-english/
  • Allen, M., & Rice, A. (2019, February 15). Current cases pending before the United States Supreme Court, a presentation to Mississippi Center for Public Policy Liberty Luncheon.
  • Allen, M. (2019, January 30). U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on civil asset forfeiture. The Mississippi Center for Public Policy. Located at https://www.mspolicy.org/u-s-supreme-court-to-weigh-in-on-civil-asset-forfeiture/
  • Allen, M. (2018). Approximately fifteen radio appearances to discuss “Current issues facing the Hinds County Judiciary” in the summer and fall of 2018 on numerous shows hosted on 90.1 FM, 97.3 FM, 97.7 FM, and 103.5 FM.
  • Allen, M. (2018, November 20). Current issues facing the Hinds County Judiciary, a presentation to the Phoenix Club, Jackson, Mississippi, November 20, 2018.
  • Allen, M. (2018, June 26). Experiences in Civil and Criminal Litigation and Public Records Disputes, a presentation to the Jackson Legal Professionals Association.
  • Allen, M. (2018, March 12). Current issues facing the Hinds County Judiciary, a presentation to the Lions Club of Jackson, Mississippi.
  • Allen, M, & Howell, K. (2018, July). Red Hot Topics in Litigation: Arbitration, distributed at the 2008 Mississippi Bar Convention for continuing legal education.
  • Allen, M. (2007, November). Covenants Not to Compete. Delta Business Journal.

Teaching

  • Assisted teaching Introduction to Criminal Justice Theory at the University of Southern Mississippi through numerous classes, 2017-2018.
  • Adjunct Professor of Appellate Advocacy, Mississippi College School of Law, 2014.
  • Former high school mock trial coach for several years.

Speeches, Presentations, & Publications on Public Policy and Other Topics

Honors & Awards

  • Named one of Mississippi’s Leading Attorneys during the 2018 Mississippi Business Journal Leadership in Law Awards
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation, Product Liability – Defendants/Mass Torts Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants (2016 – present)
  • Super Lawyers®: designated Top Rated in Business Litigation in the Mid-South (2014 – present)
  • Super Lawyers®: named a Rising Star in Business Litigation in the Mid-South (2012 and 2013)
  • The American Society of Legal Advocates: for five consecutive years recognized as one of the Top 40 under 40 litigation lawyers in the entire state of Mississippi (2013-2017)
  • Benchmark Litigation: named one of twelve Future Litigation Stars in Mississippi (2012)
  • Portico Jackson: named one of ten up-and-coming lawyers in metro Jackson (2011)
  • Mississippi Business Journal: recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 in business professional (2011)

News