Matthew Adams

Practice Areas

Matthew is Co-Chair of the firm’s White-Collar Criminal Defense & Regulatory Compliance Practice Group and an experienced criminal and civil trial attorney. He has a diverse national practice focusing on criminal defense, regulatory compliance and complex commercial litigation.

Known for his courtroom advocacy skills and meticulous attention to detail, he is an indispensable ally to clients ranging from individuals and small businesses to multinational corporations, who turn to him for practical, thorough guidance through treacherous legal minefields. Whether they have been indicted, named targets of a grand jury investigation or are embroiled in a “bet the company” commercial dispute, clients count on Matthew as a “go to” lawyer when it matters the most.

Recently, Matthew has become well versed in the U.S. Department of Justice’s crackdown on fraud and abuse involving government funding distributed under the Paycheck Protection Program and other CARES Act initiatives aimed at supporting businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. He provides compliance advice to companies that have received emergency funding and represents companies whose loans or grants have come under scrutiny or been referred for prosecution.

Matthew is particularly knowledgeable in e-discovery, digital forensics, data privacy, social networking and cybersecurity. His clients routinely rely upon him to advance their interests through the use of high-tech, digital evidence such as e-mails, text messages, internet IP address and intrusion analysis, metadata and cellular tower triangulation – just a few of the novel forms of evidence with which Matthew has demonstrated proficiency over the course of the last decade.

Outside the courtroom, Matthew holds elected office, serving as a councilman on the Scotch Plains, NJ, Township Council, the town’s municipal governing body. He was appointed to a then-vacant seat in April 2021 and later elected in a special election in November 2021.

Matthew also is President-elect of the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey and a trustee with the Essex County, New Jersey Bar Association. A bar leader, Matthew is at the forefront of novel legal issues, and frequently appears as amicus in trial and appellate courts grappling with issues of first impression and other high impact litigation.

Criminal & Regulatory Defense

Meticulous, zealous and ethical, Matthew defends individuals and entities that face state or federal criminal charges, regulatory or enforcement actions or are the target of an investigation by enforcement agencies or regulatory bodies at all levels of government.

He co-founded and leads the firm's COVID-19 Compassionate Release Task Force, which assists nonviolent offenders in jails and prisons across the U.S. who are at increased risk from the disease, with requests for compassionate release, bail, early parole and medical furloughs.

Commercial Litigation

Matthew represents individuals and businesses in the prosecution and defense of complex civil actions. Entrepreneurs, startups, closely held businesses and Fortune 100 companies rely on Matthew’s pragmatic business sense and effective litigation skills to prevail in their commercial disputes.

Technology & Cybersecurity

Technology is a two-edged sword. Matthew keeps at the cutting edge, helping companies investigate and respond effectively to cyberattacks in compliance with local, state, federal and international data breach notification regulations, and defending clients who have been accused of hacking, data theft or cybercrimes. In the same vein, he protects individuals’ privacy rights against technology-fueled prosecutorial overreach while strategically employing innovations in the realm of digital forensics and other emerging methods to build and defend cases, often breaking new legal ground.

Internal Investigations & Compliance

Matthew conducts comprehensive internal investigations for companies of all sizes that face existential crises involving potential internal wrongdoing, or intense regulatory scrutiny of their operations. He employs sharp investigative skills developed in his white-collar defense practice — working closely with professionals such as accountants and digital forensics experts — to identify the facts, present them clearly and provide actionable advice that helps clients minimize liability, preserve their reputations and meet their legal and regulatory obligations.

Crisis Management

Matthew provides sophisticated crisis management services to companies and individuals facing investigations and civil or criminal liability. Drawing on his extensive white-collar defense and regulatory compliance experience, he helps clients design crisis response plans and oversees their implementation to ensure they are carried out strategically to advance his clients’ interests.

Community Involvement

Matthew prioritizes public service, dedicating his time outside the office to causes that improve lives and make a difference in the overall quality of life in his community. He is currently an elected member of the Scotch Plains, NJ, Township Council, bringing new perspectives and energy to the town’s municipal governing body while working to move his community forward.

Professional Memberships

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers | American Bar Association | New Jersey State Bar Association | Essex County Bar Association | Monmouth County Bar Association | Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey | New Jersey State Bar Association | New York County Lawyer's Association | New York State Bar Association | Federal Bar Association

Personal

Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D.); Rutgers University (B.S.)

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Bar Admissions: New Jersey, New York