Matthew R. Devine

Partner, Chicago

Biography

Overview

Matt Devine is a leading first-chair civil litigator and trial lawyer who represents clients in matters in state and federal courts as well as arbitrations throughout the country. His practice focuses on heavily litigated aspects of business law, particularly class action defense, trade secrets, shareholder derivative actions and high-stakes "mass raid" cases, as well as representing corporate clients in responding to inquiries and subpoenas from government regulators. Matt also leads sensitive internal investigations for corporate clients. He frequently handles highly sensitive matters involving reputational risk and media attention. Matt serves as the Office Executive Partner for White & Case's Chicago office.

In his class action practice, Matt has posted a string of victories, winning dismissal with prejudice of several closely watched putative class action lawsuits in the media spotlight. Matt has also served as lead counsel for Fortune 500 companies and other clients in a variety of high-profile business litigation matters, including serving as counsel to the court-appointed examiner in a major corporate bankruptcy arising from the 2008 financial crisis, representing a major global airline in litigation arising out of an airline disaster and recently defeating class action matters against a Big Ten university and a global financial services company.

Matt has an active pro bono practice representing indigent criminal defendants in state and federal court. Matt was recognized by his peers in Best Lawyers in America 2023 for consumer litigation. Illinois Super Lawyers has repeatedly named Matt a "Super Lawyer." He received the Constitutional Rights Foundation's "Bill of Rights Award" for his work in national security litigation arising out of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Bars and Courts
Illinois State Bar
US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
US District Court for the Central District of Illinois
US District Court for the Western District of Michigan
US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Education
JD
Loyola University, Chicago

School of Law

BA
University of Iowa
Languages
English

Experience

Represents Bayport Financial Holdings USA and Bayport Colombia S.A. in "mass raid" litigation in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Represented Novanta, Inc. a NASDAQ-listed medical device company, in litigation in the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleging violations of the Lanham Act. Matter was successfully resolved after discovery.

Represented Fitness International, d/b/a as LA Fitness, which operates the largest chain of fitness centers in the U.S., in a putative class action filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, which sought millions in fees after COVID-19 and related government orders forced the centers to close. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted LA Fitness's motion to dismiss the complaint with prejudice.

Represented Goldentree Asset Management, a global credit asset manager with approximately $47 billion AUM, in a cross-border contract dispute. The matter resulted in a successful confidential resolution.

Represented LED Cove Asset Finance in breach of contract litigation filed in Illinois state court against Align Business Finance. The matter resulted in a successful confidential resolution.

Represented Morningstar, a leading provider of independent investment research, in an independent internal investigation into whether or not ESG ratings products demonstrated anti-Israel bias.

Represented a publicly-traded energy company in a AAA arbitration involving a contract dispute with a top executive. The matter resulted in a confidential and successful resolution.

Publications

Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts (5th ed.), Warranties (Thomson Reuters)

Class and Group Actions 2022, International Comparative Legal Guide, 14th Ed., November 2021

Class and Group Actions 2021: Developments and Trends in Collective Actions, International Comparative Legal Guide, 13th Ed., November 2020

Class Actions, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education 2020

Illinois Civil Litigation Guide

Awards and Recognition

Best Lawyers in America 2023 – Consumer Law

Illinois Super Lawyers, Civil Litigation:
Defense - (multiple years)

Illinois Super Lawyers
"Rising Star," Civil Litigation: Defense - (multiple years)

Constitutional Rights Foundation’s "Bill of Rights" Award

Standout Firm: ESG
Morningstar Report
The Financial Times Innovative Law Firm Awards – North America 2023

US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association
"Excellence in Pro Bono Service" - 2016

Leading Lawyers Network
Commercial Litigation, Class Action/Mass Tort Defense Law, Trade Secrets/Unfair Competition Law 2015-2022