Matthew S. Almon

Matt Almon concentrates his practice in the areas of estate and fiduciary litigation, complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, and employment disputes. He has worked on landmark cases in New Orleans, including successfully defending against an interdiction suit and related multi-jurisdictional legal proceedings designed to wrest control of a national sports franchise from a prominent Louisiana businessman and work on behalf of Dorignac’s Food Center, which culminated in the family heirs regaining control of the iconic store.  Matt has also successfully defended clients against trademark infringement claims, breach of contract claims and assertions of unfair employment practices. 

Matt currently sits on the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association's Board of Directors, serves on the firm's Management Committee, and is co-chair of the firm's Recruiting Committee.

Matt also regularly provides pro-bono legal services through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana's Civil Pro Bono Counsel Panel. 

• Successfully defended against interdiction suit and related multi-jurisdictional legal proceedings designed to wrest control of national sports franchise from prominent Louisiana businessman.
• Defended national civic action group against trademark infringement claim, successfully thwarting injunctive efforts upon opponent’s failure to demonstrate a likelihood of consumer confusion or a compelling reason to curtail civic action group’s political speech in favor of opponent’s service mark.

• Prevailed in interdiction suit, winning full interdiction of client's infirm mother whom a caretaker had isolated away from the client's family for years and appointment of client as curator for the interdict.  Utilized ancillary emergency injunctive proceeding to gain access to the interdict and ultimately prevail at full interdiction trial within less-than-a-month after retention.

• Represented family members/trust beneficiaries in lawsuit against trustees for various breaches of fiduciary duties relating to their management of Dorignac's Food Center, an iconic local grocery store held in trust. Ultimately obtained control and placed management of the grocery store back into the hands of the family members.

• Successfully utilized injunctive proceedings to force return of client's elderly mother to her home and regain control of her financial affairs from estranged family members.    

• Reached favorable settlement for estate of decedent facing challenge to divorce judgment rendered prior to his death and involving novel annulment claims relating to COVID-19 emergency judicial orders.
• Represented major national university in lawsuit seeking to recover for breach of patent licensing agreement by a French pharmaceutical company.
• Represented law firm in electronic data breach matter, assisting with investigation and providing advice on data breach notification requirements and response to breach, and successfully defended law firm against complaints to the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel related to the data breach.
• Successfully defended a district judge against charges brought by the Louisiana Judiciary Commission’s Office of Special Counsel, culminating in a finding of no judicial misconduct by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
• Represented national electrical contractor franchisor in trade name litigation against local company.
• Represented national non-profit service organization in trade name dispute with competitor.
• Defense of retaliatory discharge claims, harassment claims, and other claims of unfair employment practices asserted against employers in federal and state court actions.
• Represented a number of South Louisiana nursing homes in connection with medical malpractice claims, reaching favorable judgments at trial and on appeal.

• New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association Board of Directors member.
• Hynes UNO PTO, Inc. President. 
• Louisiana State Bar Association member.
• GNO, Inc. NextGen Council former member.
• 2016 New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute graduate.

• Louisiana Super Lawyers 2021 - 2025.
  • Rising Star 2013 - 2017.
• New Orleans Magazine "Top Lawyer" 2020 and 2023 - 2024.
• AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell.

"Strategies to Avoid Fiduciary Litigation," 54th Annual LSU Law Estate Planning Conference, October 2024.

"We Are Not Our Clients: Staying Calm and Maintaining Decorum in the Face of Family Drama," Loyola University of New Orleans College of Law 2023 Estate Planning Conference, December 2023.

"Fiduciary Litigation: Issues in Bringing and Defending Claims Against Trustees," 2019 Tulane Estate Planning Institute, November 2019.

"Getting Your Writs Right," Louisiana State Bar Association Guide to Written and Oral Arguments from the Benches & Trenches Seminar, November 2018.

"Data Security and Data Breaches: How to Navigate a Complex, Seemingly Opaque Risk to Your Business," Association of Corporate Counsel, Louisiana Chapter, November 2016. 

"Protecting Your Business in the Digital Age:  Data Security Law and the Need for a Comprehensive Data Security and Management Plan," Data Security Compliance and Response & Internal Investigations CLE program for the Association of Corporate Counsel Louisiana Chapter, July 2015.

"A 'Duty to Google?'  Professionalism and Electronic Evidence," Pro Bono Project's Volunteer Appreciation Awards and CLE, December 2014.

"Effective Advocacy:  LA Rules of Evidence in the Digital World," Louisiana Justice Community Conference, October 2014.

• Co-Author, "Responses to Discovery Document Requests Are Now Required to Be . . . Responsive?," ABA Mass Tort Litigation, November 2017.
• Co-Author, "Expanding Trademark Law Toward a 'Merchandizing Right' - The University of Alabama Goes After the 'Houndstooth Mafia,'" Louisiana Sports Association Newsletter, January 2014.
• Case Note, "Cadillac-sized Legal Fees" and "Chevrolet-type Results":  Settlement Scrutiny in In re Electronic Data Systems Corp. "ERISA" Litigation, 80 Tul. L. Rev. 2007 (2006).