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BIO

Matt Morris

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Founder and principal of M.G. Morris Law, P.C., a law firm dedicated exclusively to advising nonprofits, their donors, and benefit corporations.

A native of the Midwest, I focus my practice exclusively on counseling nonprofits and benefit corporations.

After law school and an appellate clerkship, I joined a large midwestern law firm practicing employment litigation. Unexpectedly recalled to active duty in Afghanistan, I provided advice to the Afghan National Police and the Afghan Ministry of the Interior on anti-corruption efforts, parliamentary relations, and strategic planning.

Upon return from Afghanistan, I began more than eleven years of service as an Assistant United States Attorney. For eight of those years, I prosecuted child exploitation cases and eventually became the office's coordinator for child sexual assault cases. I also prosecuted white collar crime and civil rights cases. Although I argued numerous cases in the court of appeals and tried thirteen cases to a jury verdict, my favorite part of being an attorney was building relationships with my clients (federal government agencies trying to serve their own constituencies), their investigators, crime victims' advocates, and organizations that advocate for the powerless.

After nearly twelve years in public service and several years of thinking about ways that the legal industry can serve civil society better, I heard the question, "what would you do if you weren't afraid?" The answer to that question, for me, was to establish a new kind of law firm. Leveraging the best that 21st century technology has to offer, M.G. Morris Law, P.C., is a (mostly) virtual firm. I don't pay for a lease on expensive real estate, so you don't either. Using the newest law firm practice management technology, I can scale my efforts in ways that traditional legal practice might not. As a solo firm, I can be more agile in my response to my clients' needs:  there is no committee that needs to approve taking on new clients or new matters. Inspired by the example of nonprofit lawyers in other states, I have adopted new billing models that move away from the "billable hour" model, which discourages efficiency (by me) and discourages communication (from you, my clients).

After college and before law school, I was a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Navy for ten years.  I have remained a reservist in the Navy for 19 additional years, currently serving my "one weekend a month" in Fort Worth, Texas.

In our own life, my wife Amy and I support charities involved with animal rescue, blood cancer research, disaster recovery, and veterans' mental health issues.

Education

University of Michigan, J.D., 2006

Georgetown University, B.S.F.S., 1993

Clerkship

The Hon. Michael S. Kanne, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

Bar Admissions

Indiana

Court Admissions

Indiana Supreme Court

United States District Courts

        Northern District of Indiana

        Southern District of Indiana

        Eastern District of California

United States Courts of Appeals

        Seventh Circuit

        Ninth Circuit

Pre-litigation Experience

Business formation

Employment issues

Internal investigations

White collar crime

Federal regulatory compliance

State regulatory compliance

Trial Experience

Tried 13 jury trials (9 as first chair)

Appellate Experience

Argued nine oral arguments

Lead attorney on 23 briefs

Editor or second attorney on 150 briefs

Panelist on 75 oral argument moots

Writing

Article editor, Michigan Law Review

Published in:

  • Michigan Law Review

  • Naval Law Review

  • Indiana Employment Law Letter

Teaching and Speaking

Instructor at U.S. Department of Justice National Advocacy Center

 

Instructor at Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center

Get in Touch

317-296-4584 

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