Matthew M. Hoffman

Matthew Hoffman is a shareholder in the firm’s Business and Finance Department and a member of the Municipal and School Law Practice Group and the Real Estate / Construction Practice Group. In the area of school law, Matt’s practice involves the representation of public school districts and school entities as solicitor, labor counsel and special counsel. His representation of private sector clients predominantly involves general commercial litigation, most frequently construction-related disputes.

Matt currently serves as solicitor for various school entities throughout Western Pennsylvania, including several public school districts, vocational-technical schools, an alternative education program and charter schools. As solicitor for these entities, his experience includes the review, interpretation and application of constitutional, statutory and regulatory matters affecting school entities, staff and students; the drafting of school district operating policies and contracts; the prosecution and defense of tax assessment appeals; tax collection matters; special education consultation and student disciplinary matters. Matt has represented school districts before administrative agencies and state and federal trial and appellate courts.

In representing school entities, Matt also has served as chief negotiator for various professional and non-professional collective bargaining agreements, representing schools throughout the entire Act 88 process, including mediation, fact-finding, non-binding arbitration and court injunctions. He has counseled school clients on development of personnel policies and procedures, the application of employment and discrimination laws (including the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and federal discrimination laws) and in resolving specific labor issues affecting school clients from hiring to employee wage, benefit and working condition matters to suspension and termination issues. Matt has also consulted on and litigated a range of school personnel issues, including labor grievances, unfair labor practice charges, and demotion and discharge proceedings.

Mr. Hoffman also has comprehensive experience in the area of construction law and litigation. His experience includes the negotiation and drafting of design, construction management and general construction contracts and the litigation of construction-related claims, most frequently on behalf of owners and design professionals. Matt has defended various claims involving design professional liability, non-conforming or defective work, payment disputes, delay and acceleration damages, and work scope disputes. He has tried cases before federal and state courts, in both jury and bench trials, and in mediation and arbitration proceedings. Representative of the matters Mr. Hoffman has litigated are the following:

• $20,500,000 claim for defective construction of a short-term parking garage at the Pittsburgh International Airport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania;

• $1,200,000 extra work litigation with respect to the Apollo-Ridge Elementary School, Armstrong County Pennsylvania;

• $3,000,000 professional liability claim involving foundational design for the Trinity South Elementary School, Washington County, Pennsylvania; and

• $865,000 professional liability claim, including delay and acceleration damages, involving Hosack Elementary School, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Matt received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 1982 and his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1985, where he served on the Law Review and was awarded the Order of the Coif. He is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association. He was selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America® in 2007, and 2008 in the Education Law category.

Matt is admitted to practice in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the US District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania and US Tax Court. He was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2007 and 2008 in the Education Law category.
 

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