Biography

Matt is an attorney in the firm's Employment Law, Litigation and Immigration Groups. His practice is equally divided between management-side labor and employment litigation and compliance counseling, where he represents a full range of clients in matters encompassing wrongful termination claims, labor disputes, workplace harassment and discrimination claims, wage and hour compliance and OSHA compliance.

For more than 20 years, Matt has represented clients in numerous industries, including the retail, health care, publishing, energy, manufacturing and telecommunications sectors. His clients include not only firms located in Maine, but throughout northern New England and Atlantic Canada. He frequently draws upon his varied professional experience to counsel clients in ways to avoid litigation or to effectively manage risks associated with their workforce management practices.

Matt also manages the firm's growing visa processing and business immigration practice, which specializes in H, L and TN nonimmigrant visa filings and PRA applications for 1st preference priority workers (including transnational executives), 2nd preference and 3rd preference professional and skilled workers requiring labor certifications.

Matt and his wife Mary C. Hartman, and their three sons, live on Cousins Island, in Yarmouth, Maine.

Professional Activities

  • American Bar Association
    • Section of Labor & Employment
  • Maine State Bar Association
  • New Hampshire Bar Association
  • Maine Chapter of the Labor Employment Relations Association (LERA), Maine Chapter
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Civic and Charitable Activities

  • Rippleffect, Board of Directors, former Executive Committee Member
  • Children's Theatre of Maine, former Board member
  • City of Portland Civil Service Commission, former Chair

Firm Highlights

News

10 Preti Attorneys, 6 Practice Groups Honored in National Rankings

Ten Preti Flaherty attorneys and six practice groups have been selected by Chambers USA for inclusion in their premiere annual list of America’s leading lawyers. Preti is recognized for excellence in the practice areas...

News

Greg Hansel Named Top 25 Attorney of the Northeast Region by Attorney Intel

Preti Flaherty attorney Greg Hansel has been named one of the Top 25 Attorneys of the Northeast Region for 2024 by Attorney Intel . This year’s class of attorneys has been recognized for excelling...

News

Preti’s Sig Schutz Recognized as Member of NHPR’s Pulitzer-Finalist Team

Preti First Amendment attorney Sig Schutz has been recognized as “a core member of the [NHPR] team” involved in a podcast honored as a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the audio journalism category.  The podcast...

Publication

Supreme Court Clarifies Constitutionality of Outdoor Camping Bans

Earlier today the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in the  City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson et al. , overturning a 2019 decision from the 9 th  Circuit Court, which held...

Publication

What Is the Affirmative Relief Announcement?

On June 18, 2024, President Biden announced  a series of immigration actions  using the authority granted to him by our existing immigration laws. These actions will help certain undocumented individuals in the United States...

News

Preti Flaherty Welcomes Trusts and Estates Attorney Dianne Ricardo to the Firm

Preti Flaherty is pleased to announce that Dianne Ricardo has joined the firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group. Based out of the firm’s Concord, New Hampshire office, Dianne focuses her practice on comprehensive estate...

Publication

Veto Day and Final Day of the 131st Legislature

The Legislature convened on Friday, May 10 th for Veto Day to take action on the six bills objected to by the Governor. As expected, all six vetoes were sustained by lawmakers allowing  Governor...

Publication

Massachusetts High Court Issues Important Ruling Impacting Prompt Pay Act

Earlier today, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued an order in the matter of Business Interiors Floor Covering Business Trust v. Graycor Construction Co. Inc. This decision presents the high court’s first ruling clarifying...

News

Preti Attorneys File Suit Against Al-Generated Robocalls in the 2024 NH Presidential Primary

Representing the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, the League of Women Voters of the United States, and individual voters, Preti Flaherty, with co-counsel, filed a federal lawsuit against Steve Kramer, Lingo Telecom...

Publication

Compliance for Two—What Employers Need to Know about the Newly Effective Final Regulation for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

On June 18, 2024 the final rule from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) takes effect, clarifying employers' obligations under this landmark legislation. Effective since June 27...