The Law Office of Matthew E. Coveler, PLLC handles both litigation and appeals nationwide. The
combination of those two practices—with litigation’s emphasis on the story and appeal’s emphasis on
the law—means he sees the big legal picture. Matthew “is always impeccably prepared and has an
excellent knowledge of the applicable law.” (Martindale-Hubbell® Law Reviewer)
Litigation
Matthew has handled cases across the country — in 23 states
and
counting, from Alaska to Florida and from Texas to Montana. Whether in a courtroom or at an
arbitration hearing, Matthew knows how to present his client’s story to the judge and to the
jury.
Appeals
Matthew serves as appellate counsel in state and federal
courts
of appeals. He is skilled as a brief writer and as an oral argument advocate. He can also
help
develop sound appellate strategies long before either side files a notice of
appeal.
Litigation
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Commercial Litigation
Tort and Product Litigation
Commercial Arbitration
Appeals
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Commercial Appeals
Tort and Product Appeals
Lawsuit Prep and Consulting
Commercial Litigation
Matthew has represented some of the
biggest international companies with headquarters
in the U.S., Germany, Korea, and South Africa in fights over hundreds of
millions of dollars. He has also represented individuals and small companies
fighting over smaller sums—but sums that still mean the world to them. Some
examples:
Successfully defended international chemicals client as trial counsel against
claim by railroad for $70 million in excess payments for the lease of railcar
storage adjacent to the client's refinery.
Successfully prosecuted $15 million breach of contract claim as trial and
appellate counsel on behalf of international supplier of line pipe against
non-paying purchaser claiming recission, repudiation, and waiver under the UCC.
Achieved favorable settlement on behalf of automotive brake component supplier
suing its international sub-component supplier for breaching its contract and
providing out-of-specification parts.
Achieved favorable settlement on behalf of industrial crane and rigging company
sued for contractual indemnity by its oil refinery contractor customer.
Negotiated a particularly favorable settlement on behalf of an industrial gas
refiner based on its raw material supplier's improper declaration of force
majeure.
Tort and Product Litigation
Matthew has represented both defendants
and plaintiffs in tort lawsuits
involving claims of product liability, negligence, and fraud. These cases often
involve various procedural and technical legal issues, bringing to bear Matthew’s
appellate mind and briefing skills:
Obtained summary judgment on behalf of vehicle airbag supplier defendant in
brain damage injury matter: Mills v. FCA US, LLC, Civil Action No.
18-cv-01891-MSK-STV, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 169754 (D. Colo. 2021).
Represented communications company in defense of multiple wrongful death claims
arising out of the Southwest Inn fire in Houston, Texas, including removal to
federal court: Bebee v. Motorola Sols., Inc., No. 4:16-CV-763, 2017 U.S.
Dist. LEXIS 47198 (S.D. Tex. 2017).
Obtained summary judgment on behalf of vehicle electronic stability control
supplier defendant in spinal damage injury matter: Pertile v. GM, Ltd. Liab.
Co., Civil Action No. 15-cv-0518-WJM-NYW, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150463
(D. Colo. 2017).
Obtained dismissal of automotive component part supplier based on lack of
personal jurisdiction: Tarver v. Ford Motor Co., No. CIV-16-548-D, 2016
U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167363 (W.D. Okla. 2016).
Commercial Arbitration
Rather than fight in court, many
companies choose to address their issues through
arbitration. Some examples of the arbitrations Matthew has successfully handled:
Obtained arbitration award on behalf of industrial gas company seeking payment
for the multi-hundred-million-dollar hydrogen plant it constructed at a major
oil and gas refinery in California.
Successfully defended luxury condominium developer against claims by condominium
owners for construction defects.
Obtained arbitration award on behalf of hazardous-waste disposal well company
claiming fraud against general contractor for national nuclear laboratory.
Commercial Appeals
When Matthew finishes a trial or obtains
a trial court ruling, he is ready to defend
his work on appeal. And when other trial lawyers have appellate issues, they
often call on Matthew to assist. Some examples in the commercial realm:
Abdullatif v. Erpile, LLC, 460 S.W.3d 685 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.]
2015, no pet.) (addressing subject matter jurisdiction of county court at law).
Westside Wrecker Serv., Inc. v. Skafi, 361 S.W.3d 153 (Tex. App.—Houston
[1st Dist.] 2011, pet. denied) (addressing statute of frauds and partnership
formation issues).
Stanford Dev. Corp. v. Stanford Condo. Owners Ass'n, 285 S.W.3d 45 (Tex.
App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2009, no pet.) (addressing enforceability of
arbitration provision).
MBM Fin. Corp. v. Woodlands Operating Co., L.P., 292 S.W.3d 660 (Tex.
2009) (addressing recoverability of attorneys' fees).
Kehm Oil Co. v. Texaco, Inc., 537 F.3d 290 (3d Cir. 2008) (addressing
Petroleum Marketing Practices Act claims and personal jurisdiction issues).
Tort and Product Appeals
Matthew also handles appeals stemming
from product liability, negligence, and other
tort claims:
Halum v. ZF Passive Safety Sys. US Inc., No. 4D21-3217, 2023 Fla. App.
LEXIS 2121 (Fla. 4th DCA March 29, 2023) (addressing Florida statute of repose).
Theis v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., No. 03-16- 00266-CV, 2017 Tex. App.
LEXIS 10336 (Tex. App.—Austin Nov. 3, 2017, no pet.) (addressing exclusion of
plaintiff's tire expert's testimony as unreliable and no evidence).
In re Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., No. 04-16- 00590-CV, 2017 Tex. App.
LEXIS 3676 (Tex. App.—San Antonio April 26, 2017, orig. proceeding) and In re
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 437 S.W.3d 923 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2014, orig.
proceeding) (addressing demands for tire plant inspection).
Lee v. Wal-Mart, No. 11-14- 00078-CV, 2016 Tex. App. LEXIS 2805 (Tex.
App. Eastland March 17, 2016, no pet.) (addressing summary judgment and sanction
for plaintiffs' failure to timely disclose expert).
Tratree v. BP N. Am. Pipelines, Inc., No. 09-20472, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS
16932, 390 Fed. Appx. 386 (5th Cir. Aug. 12, 2010) (addressing Title VII race
discrimination and Age Discrimination in Employment Act claims).
TRW Auto. U.S. LLC v. Papandopoles, 949 So. 2d 297 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App.
4th Dist. 2007) (addressing forum non conveniens issues).
Lawsuit Prep and Consulting
A successful appellate outcome often
starts long before either side files a notice of
appeal. Creating the right record and crafting the right arguments starts in the
trial court. Matthew drafts and argues advanced motions for both plaintiffs and
defendants, including:
Motions for summary judgment
Choice-of-law issues
Expert challenges
Jury charges
About Matthew
Matthew E. Coveler
Owner and Attorney at Law
Email: info@covelerlaw.com
Phone: 713.582.9019
Matthew began his career on litigation teams at two of the largest international law
firms in the world, Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright) and Pillsbury Winthrop
Shaw Pittman. He has been partners with two of the state’s preeminent appellate lawyers at
the firm of Hogan & Hogan. He spent the last eleven years focused on commercial, tort, and
product liability litigation and arbitration matters with a Houston boutique. And now he has
established his own firm to handle both litigation and appeals across the country.
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1999
B.A., Northwestern University, 1996
Matthew is admitted to the following courts:
State Bar of Texas
United States Supreme Court
United States Courts of Appeals for the Third and Fifth Circuits
United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of
Texas
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
Pro hac vice admission in numerous states with sponsorship of local counsel
Peer Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell® Law Directory for “Highest
Level of Professional Excellence”
Appointed by the President of the State Bar of Texas to the State Bar’s Pattern
Jury
Charges - General Negligence, Intentional Personal Torts & Workers’
Compensation
Committee.
Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
2022 Texas Pattern Jury Charges - General Negligence, Intentional Personal Torts &
Workers’ Compensation by the Committee on Pattern Jury Charges, including Matthew E. Coveler
Jury Charge
State Bar of Texas Civil Appellate Practice 101 by Matthew E. Coveler, Jennifer Bruch Hogan, and Richard P. Hogan, Jr.
Developments in the Texas “Contort” Distinction
State Bar of Texas 22nd Annual Advanced Personal Injury Law Course by Matthew E. Coveler and Jennifer Bruch Hogan
Legal Issues in Jury Selection
State Bar of Texas 28th Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course by Matthew E. Coveler, Richard P. Hogan, Jr., and Vincent M. Morgan
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