Matthew Peters, a versatile litigator and advocate, represents leading global companies and their executives in complex commercial litigation, consistently delivering dismissals, favorable settlements, and trial results in significant matters.

Clients rely on Matthew’s track record of success and unmatched depth of experience to guide them through their most high-stakes and complex matters, including:

  • Securities fraud class actions
  • Shareholder derivative litigation
  • US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations
  • Books-and-records demands
  • Internal investigations

Matthew brings clients a distinctive perspective, drawn from his earlier career with the Central Intelligence Agency and extensive experience studying and working in China.

He maintains an active pro bono practice, representing victims of human trafficking, individuals pursuing disability claims, and children in need of legal assistance.

Matthew's representations include:

  • Fluence Energy and six of its current and former executives in achieving dismissal of a consolidated securities class action that followed publication of short-seller reports related to the company’s battery storage systems
  • Carvana in multiple victories, including:
    • Defeating a claim for $3.6 billion brought against Carvana and its controlling investor in the Delaware Court of Chancery based on allegations of insider trading, affirmed by Delaware Supreme Court
    • Achieving dismissal of securities fraud claims brought against Carvana and its executives and directors in the Superior Court of Arizona, arising in the wake of Carvana’s pandemic-related challenges
  • Twitter/X and its CEO and CFO in achieving dismissal of a securities class action arising out of fixes to Twitter users’ privacy settings
  • A major auto manufacturer and certain of its former officers in a securities fraud class action arising from allegations that the automaker failed to disclose executive compensation for the company’s former CEO and chairman of the board
  • Chipotle and its officers and directors in multiple victories, including:
    • Securing dismissals of securities class actions and derivative suits stemming from foodborne illnesses
    • Achieving dismissal of a securities class action related to Chipotle’s portion sizes and potential actions to retain customer loyalty
  • CEO of technology product company as the only defendant who achieved dismissal of some of the claims in a securities class action involving multiple defendants, leading to a favorable resolution of the case for the CEO
  • TechnipFMC and certain of its officers in a securities fraud class action filed in the Southern District of Texas, arising from the company’s restatement of its reported financials due to errors in accounting for temporary gains and losses on naturally hedged currency positions
  • Walmart and its officers in two high-profile federal securities class actions in the Southern District of New York and Western District of Arkansas, challenging disclosures relating to a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigation
  • Charter in state attorney general investigations regarding allegedly deceptive broadband speed advertising and in related class action litigation
  • Deloitte against a professional negligence claim brought by Freddie Mac arising from the failure of mortgage originator Taylor, Bean & Whitaker
  • Weatherford and its officers in multiple proceedings, including:
    • Federal securities class actions in the Southern District of New York
    • An SEC investigation arising out of financial restatements related to income tax accounting

Bar Qualification

  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland

Education

  • JD, Duke University School of Law, 2012
    magna cum laude
  • MA, Harvard University, 2006
  • BA, Davidson College, 2003

Languages Spoken

  • English