Matthew P. French

Before coming to Wisner Baum, Matthew was an associate attorney at a Los Angeles area law firm where he focused on personal injury cases and handled all aspects of civil litigation.

A graduate of Southwestern Law School’s SCALE 2-year accelerated JD program, Matthew was a Judicial Extern in California's Central District of the United States District Court for a magistrate judge. Matthew also externed for an assistant city attorney, where he drafted a city business tax ordinance which became law.

Matthew graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Los Angeles, with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. He later earned a master’s degree in Education while working for eight years as a public school teacher and leader for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

When Matthew is not advocating for his clients, he enjoys traveling (having visited 24 countries so far), scuba diving, and cooking.

Education

• Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles (J.D., Civil Litigation and Advocacy concentration, and Public Service Distinction, 2019)
• University of Phoenix (M.A., in Education, Secondary Education, 2011)
• California State University, Los Angeles (B.A., in Anthropology, summa cum laude, and Honors in Anthropology, 2009)
• Co-President, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (2009), Cal State LA
• Senior Advocate, Trial Advocacy Honors Program, Southwestern Law School
• Vice President SCALE, Student Bar Association, Southwestern Law School
• Public Service Distinction Award, Southwestern Law School
• First Place, Trial Advocacy Honors Program’s JEBS Competition, Southwestern Law School
• Honorable Mention, Moot Court Intramural Competition, Southwestern Law School
• Treasurer of Southwestern's OUTLaw Group
• Student Liaison for the LGBT Bar of Los Angeles
• Regional Vice-Chair for the National LGBT Bar's Student Congress
• Student Member of Southwestern Law School's Diversity Committee and Curriculum Committee

Court Admissions

• California, 2019
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 2019
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 2022
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California, 2022
• U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico, 2023
• United States Court of Federal Claims, 2024

Awards and Honors

• California Powerhouse, Law360 Regional Powerhouse Series, 2021
• Selected: Southern California Super Lawyers® – Rising Stars, 2023

Member

• State Bar of California
• Member, Board of Trustees, Southwestern Law School
• President and Board Member, Nickel Club, part of Southwestern Law School’s Alumni Association (former Co-Vice President and Secretary)
• Board Member, Southwestern Law School Alumni Association
• Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
  • Co-Vice Chair, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
• Consumer Attorneys of California, President’s Club Benefactor
• The American Association for Justice; Leaders Forum - Champion; LGBT Caucus; Trucking Litigation Group
• Attorneys Information Exchange Group
• Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys
• Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America
• LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
• National Institute for Trial Advocacy
• American Inns of Court, Southwestern Law School Chapter
  • Executive Board Member for The Southwestern Law School Inn of Court, 2022-2025
  • Treasurer for The Southwestern Law School Inn of Court, 2024-2025
  • Secretary, Awards Committee for The Southwestern Law School Inn of Court, (past Co-Chair) 2024-2025

Guest Speaker