A. Howard Matz

Judge A. Howard Matz (Ret.) is Senior Counsel at Bird Marella. After serving on the bench of the United States District Court for the Central District of California for nearly 15 years, in 2013 he rejoined the firm he helped launch in 1983, then known as Bird Marella Boxer Wolpert & Matz P.C. During his 15 years with the firm, he was one of the first attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in AmericaR. Judge Matz is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is a member of the California Bar and was licensed to practice in New York State for 50+ years.

Judge Matz was nominated to the federal bench by President Clinton and received his commission in June 1998. He presided over numerous noteworthy cases and several of his decisions were ultimately adjudicated by the Supreme Court. Judge Matz served on many judicial committees, including the Ninth Circuit Model Jury Instructions Committee. He chaired the District Court’s Pro Bono/Pro Se Committee and under his leadership, the Committee established the nation’s first walk-in Pro Se Clinic, which received widespread recognition. Additionally, Judge Matz was the first recipient of the “Vanguard Award” bestowed by the California State Bar for his contributions to intellectual property jurisprudence. Upon his retirement from the Bench, the Federal Bar Association sponsored a special Dinner Tribute for Judge Matz in recognition of his judicial service.

Immediately before appointment to the bench, he was counsel and chief of staff to Senator Arlen Specter. Since retiring for the courts, he consulted in major litigations, conducting mediations, arbitrations, and moot courts, also serving as an expect witness. He authored scores of articles on legal issues and spoke at dozens of conferences all around the US and abroad. He was educated at Williams College and the University of Virginia Law School.

Harvard Law School, J.D., 1968
Columbia University, A.B., cum laude, 1965