Kairis, Matthew A.

Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Matt Kairis is a trial lawyer with extensive experience coordinating and trying complex, multijurisdiction, and class action litigation. Matt has won bench and jury verdicts in corporate contract disputes, antitrust actions, product liability suits, securities actions, and consumer fraud litigation. He has significant experience in product disparagement, libel, and contract interference matters, representing clients who have suffered business torts in the competitive marketplace.

On behalf of First American Title Insurance, Matt recently obtained the complete reversal of what would have been the largest punitive damages award in an economic injury case in Ohio history. He currently serves as lead trial counsel for First American defending a putative class action in Chicago that seeks recovery of all Illinois residential title insurance premiums. Matt led the nationwide defense of Diebold in which public officials and private entities challenged the accuracy of its electronic voting machines. He also was a member of the lead trial team representing R.J. Reynolds in a $2 billion smoking and health class action that resulted in a jury verdict for defendants and was named one of "Top Defense Wins of the Year" by The National Law Journal. More recently, he represented Time Warner in a $2.5 billion securities case brought by five Ohio pension funds relating to the Time Warner/America Online merger.

Matt's jury trial experience began at a unique program at Harvard Law School where he served as a Massachusetts assistant district attorney, achieving a 100 percent conviction rate through numerous criminal prosecutions in a northern Boston district.

Areas of Practice

• Trial Practice
• Class Action Litigation
• Trial Litigation in Federal & State Courts
• Business Restructuring & Reorganization
• Distressed Company Litigation
• Financial Services

Representative Cases

• Associated Electric defends breach of contract and fraud action regarding $6 million turbine engine purchase
• BCM Engineers successfully defends against third-party claims in dispute over water treatment facility construction
• Bellevue Hospital defends against hostile work environment and sexual harassment action , (2009)
• Black Diamond Mining files bankruptcy , (2009)
• Commercial Intertech Corporation defends takeover attempts by United Dominion , (2009)
• Cytodyne defends against product liability suit relating to "Xenadrine" weight loss product
• Diebold Election Systems defends against investigation of voting issues in Cuyahoga County, Ohio , (2009)
• Diebold obtains dismissal in breach of contract action brought by Positran Manufacturing
• Diebold obtains permanent injunction against third party manufacturer in trade secrets, patent and trademark case
• Diebold successfully resolves litigation involving purchase of Mosler assets
• Federated Department Stores and affiliates reorganize in chapter 11 , (2009)
• First American Title Insurance successfully appeals majority of adverse jury verdict in largest damages award given in economic injury case in Ohio history
• First American Title successfully defends against putative class action alleging illegal kickbacks to attorney agents
• Indianapolis Life wins summary judgment in breach of contract action
• National Century Financial Enterprises files for bankruptcy with over $3 billion in debt
• National Century Financial Enterprises litigates chapter 11 issues , (2009)
• National Century Financial wins dismissal of $180 million breach of contract case in California federal court
• National Century obtains dismissal of claims by former officer seeking compensation for alleged employee benefits
• Ohio group successfully opposes mandamus and prohibition challenges seeking to exclude State Issue I from 2004 state ballot
• R.J. Reynolds obtains defense verdict in RICO jury trial
• R.J. Reynolds wins dismissal of class action filed by trustees
• Time Warner resolves securities litigation involving AOL’s revenues

West Practice Categories

Bankruptcy Litigation, Business & Commercial Law, Business Organizations, Class Actions, Complex Litigation, Dissolution, Federal Appellate Practice, Federal Claims Court, Federal Trial Practice, International Trade Litigation, Litigation & Appeals, Military & Veterans Appeals, Multidistrict Litigation, Patent Litigation, State Appellate Practice, State Trial Practice, Tax Litigation, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, US Supreme Court

Bar Admissions

• Ohio

Education

• Harvard University
• U of Notre Dame

Address

P.O. Box 165017
325 John H. McConnell Boulevard
Suite 600
Columbus, OH 43216-5017

Phones

1.614.281.3605 (Business Phone)

Faxes

1.614.461.4198 (Business Fax)

Emails

Contact Us (Business Email)

Websites

http://www.jonesday.com