Matthew Aaron Ford - Austin, TX

As partner at Ford O'Brien Landy LLP, Matthew Aaron Ford litigates a wide variety of criminal and civil matters with an emphasis on white-collar criminal and regulatory defense as well as complex civil litigation, including securities and cyber-fraud matters.

Matt relies on a deep knowledge of both federal and state law along with an ability to distill intricate legal concepts into clear, powerful arguments to assist clients in obtaining the most favorable outcome possible.

Select Engagements:

• After nine-week jury trial, acquittal on all counts for Chief Financial Officer of hedge fund indicted on five counts of securities, investment adviser, and wire fraud.
• Successful appeal and reversal by New Jersey Supreme Court of administrative law judge denial of compensation under Spill Fund Act.
• Dismissal of a federal indictment charging a $17 million pump and dump scheme.
• Dismissal with prejudice of an SEC complaint alleging a $20 million securities fraud.
• Obtained vacatur by Second Circuit Court of Appeals of more than $7 million disgorgement award against CEO of public company accused by SEC of misappropriation of funds raised through private offerings
• Representation of retail trader in DOJ and SEC actions alleging $114 million “pump and dump” conspiracy with 8 co-defendants.
• Representation of individual accused of $147 million health care fraud and anti-kick back conspiracy.
• Representation of individual in SEC action accused of $229 million securities fraud in connection with real estate development projects funded in connection with EB-5 immigration program.
• Representation of a multi-billion-dollar company investigating and responding to multiple cyber-fraud incidents and CFAA violations.
• Representation of large institutional investors seeking to recover tens of millions of dollars of lost investments resulting from breaches of fiduciary duty and other civil breaches by real estate LLC manager.
• Representation of fund managers in SEC action alleging $17 million energy fund fraud and violations of Investment Advisers Act.
• Representation of founder, owner, and CEO of foreign broker-dealer in SEC action alleging unlawful solicitation of U.S. customers.
• Representation of fund CEO in SEC action alleging participation in an unlawful microcap scheme generating over $27 million in stock sales.

Prior to joining Ford O'Brien Landy LLP, Matt worked as an associate for Cahill Gordon and Reindel LLP. During his time with Cahill, he worked with a small team of attorneys obtaining a successful settlement in federal court for a plaintiff multinational hotel and resort corporation in theft of trade secret, breach of contract, and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act case against a competitor and former executives, worked directly with partner in two-person team representing former Chief Operating Officer in compensation and ownership arbitration against international insurance brokerage firm resulting in a favorable settlement of over $20 million, and worked with a team of attorneys obtaining dismissal of several multi-billion dollar securities fraud cases related to credit ratings preceding the 2008 global financial crisis.

Matt received his undergraduate degree from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA with a concentration in philosophy and economics in 2003. In 2008, Matt graduated from the St. John's School of Law in Queens, New York, where he served as an editor of St. John's Law Review.

Outside of his legal practice, Matt is an accomplished musician, performing both live and recording as a studio musician. He is a keen nature film photographer, running his own traditional darkroom, and enjoys oil and watercolor painting in his free time.