Matthew Jacober

Career

My approach to practicing law is built on collaboration—success is never achieved in isolation, and trying to handle every aspect of a case alone only hinders the best results for clients. I find fulfillment in leading, coaching and cultivating teams that provide the proper support when needed, ensuring clients receive top-tier service. One client said, “Matthew has handled many cases for us over the years. He can keep his eye on the complete purpose and takes the emotion out of making key decisions. He handles the details well and knows what the end purpose is.”

As a committed litigator and partner in the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group, Matthew Jacober is recognized for his practical, hands-on approach to guiding clients toward their objectives and safeguarding their interests. His experience with high-value, high-stakes matters and his commitment to justice provide clients with a unique and strategic problem-solving perspective. Matthew brings this perspective to closely held companies valued at $150 million+, high-net-worth individuals, closely held and family businesses, and publicly traded companies across various industries, including finance and accounting, health care and manufacturing, to name a few.

Matthew supports clients with litigation and alternative dispute resolution in a variety of areas, including:

Appeals

Civil rights insurance recovery

Class action defense

Fiduciary litigation

General business disputes

Government investigations

Innocence litigation

Investigations and white-collar defense

Liability and risk management

Litigation

Qui tam defense

Shareholder disputes

Trusts and estates litigation

He also represents property owners in condemnation proceedings, a skill he honed during his tenure as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois, where he prosecuted condemnation matters on behalf of the state.

Outside his core practice, Matthew is a Missouri state court-approved mediator and a passionate advocate for the wrongfully convicted. Matthew continues to work pro bono for others who have been unjustly imprisoned, demonstrating his deep commitment to justice in all forms. He is also the Chair of the Pro Bono Committee at Lathrop GPM.

Clients who work with Matthew appreciate his ability to navigate complex legal landscapes with clarity, integrity and care, his dedication to finding the right solutions for their unique needs, his ability to separate emotion from what is in the best interest of the client, and his unwavering commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes. One client said, “Matthew is a calm and steady force. He is smart, very trustworthy and kind. I trust him to tell me the truth and advise me well.”

Practice Areas

White-Collar Defense & Investigations

Litigation

Class Action Defense

Closely Held & Family Businesses

Appellate

Civil Rights Insurance Recovery

Accountant Liability & Risk Management

General Business & Complex Commercial Litigation

Neutral Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

Shareholder Disputes

Trust & Estate Litigation

Financial Services Litigation

Experience

Class Action

State of Indiana Court of Appeals. Won a complete defense verdict at trial in which class action plaintiffs alleged our client aided and abetted franchise fraud and committed civil deception. We again defended our client in the State of Indiana Court of Appeals, where the Court affirmed the defense verdict, serving as a double win for our client.

Marion County Superior Court, Division 2, State of Indiana. A complete defense verdict was obtained after a four-day trial in Marion County Superior Court. In this matter, our clients allegedly aided and abetted franchise fraud and committed civil deception.

St. Louis County. Successfully represented a private building and office cleaning services company in a class action matter. The court dismissed the plaintiffs’ petition for declaratory judgment and did not grant the ability to refile.

Complex Commercial Litigation

Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District (618 S.W.3d 701). Represented Chemline, a chemical industry client, at trial and on appeal in a dispute concerning the trial court’s judgment finding the client’s former employee in contempt of an injunction order, also obtained by Lathrop GPM. The court affirmed the judgment finding the former employee in contempt of the injunction order and affirmed the related grant of attorney’s fees to our client.

Completed a three-day Arbitration trial conducted via Zoom during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The matter involved a dispute following the sale of a closely held business, with a defense verdict being entered for our client.

Successfully settled a federal trademark infringement and breach of contract claims on behalf of a national franchisor against a former franchisee. The franchisor alleged that the former franchisee continued to use the franchisor's federally registered trademarks after terminating the franchise agreement and ceasing royalty payments to promote the disaster restoration recovery business.

Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District. Successfully reversed and remanded a summary judgment awarded by the Circuit Court in St. Louis County. The primary issue upon which the Court of Appeals determined the trial court erred related to whether the original creditor had relied on a guaranty of our client when the evidence demonstrated a question existed as to whether the guaranty was delivered or in possession of the original creditor.

St. Louis County, Missouri. Proceeded to trial against St. Louis County in a condemnation matter involving numerous acres of property underlying the Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The jury verdict returned more than $2 million.

Financial Litigation

US District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Representation of financial services corporation in a dispute concerning priority of payment rights under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code(UCC) and involving conversion of coal mining equipment sale proceeds.

Miller and Camden Counties, Missouri. Representation of Missouri lodging resort owners in challenge to state statutorily established political subdivisions, Business Districts, and their improper use of lodging tax revenue. Won preliminary injunction, ordering the Business Districts to comply with the statutory mandate requiring the tax revenue to be expended to benefit lodging establishment members, the Business Districts must direct the expenditure of tax revenue, and board members must be publicly elected.

Served as outside counsel to Renaissance Financial, providing comprehensive litigation support, including responses to subpoenas, regulatory guidance resolving contractual disputes and navigating compliance issues while managing litigation risks.

Health Law

St. Louis. Won arbitration on behalf of a hospital corporation in a breach of contract involving payment terms under the PACE program, a federally funded Medicare program.

Investigations / White Collar

US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Representation of accountant tax preparers in civil action for injunctions under 26 USC 7407, 26 USC 7408, and 26 USC 7402.

US District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Successfully defended a §1983 jury trial.

US Appellate Court for the Seventh Circuit. Argued a criminal case before Chief Judge Richard Posner, presiding, reported US v. Belwood, 222 F.3d 403 (7th Cir. 2000).

US Appellate Court for the Seventh Circuit. Successfully argued civil cases before Judge Ilana D. Rovner, presiding, reported Larkin v. Galloway, 266 F.3d 718 (7th Cir. 2000), and Smith v. Zachary, 255 F.3d 466 (7th Cir. 2001).

TCPA

Represented numerous companies nationwide in state and federal courts in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) Class Action matters.

Trusts & Estates

Illinois Appellate Court, Fifth Circuit. Successfully defended the client's estate from a disinherited son's petition for relief from a settlement agreement barring him from future claims against his parents' estates. The Fifth Circuit upheld the St. Clair County Circuit Court's order denying petitioner leave to reform the earlier settlement, in which he received a one-time cash payment.