Matthew W. Wright holds a preeminent-AV rating, which is the highest rating in the Martindale-Hubbell national registry of preeminent attorneys. In addition to being a seasoned trial lawyer, Mr. Wright's practice includes extensive appellate court experience with appearances before The United States Supreme Court, The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, The Arizona Supreme Court, and Arizona appellate courts.
Mr. Wright handles a volume of commercial and insurance defense litigation. Mr. Wright has litigated cases involving catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, complex products liability, 42 USC 1983 claims, sports-related litigation, police pursuit/chase cases and police shootings, fire loss, maritime actions, bus accidents, toxic torts, and asbestos litigation. Representative clients include major insurance companies, universities, colleges, school districts, and some of Arizona's largest municipalities.
Mr. Wright's practice also involves representing school districts in administrative hearings. He routinely presents at seminars for school districts concerning risk management issues. Similarly, he advises lobbyists on proposed legislation affecting school districts.
Mr. Wright graduated with honors from New Mexico State University, where he was selected the Outstanding Senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. As a captain of the New Mexico State football team (WAC Conference) he was named as the Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. Mr. Wright graduated from the Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, where he was chosen Outstanding Trial Advocate and a national member of the Order of Barristers. Mr. Wright has taught post-graduate level courses on school law as an adjunct professor for the Northern Arizona University, is currently on the faculty for the Northern Arizona University/Trust Academy for Arizona school administrators, and has served as an adjunct professor for the trial clinic at the Arizona State University College of Law.
Position:
Managing Member
Admitted:
The United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Arizona and U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
Education:
The Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Tempe, AZ
Juris Doctor
Honors: Outstanding Trial Advocate
Honors: Order of the Barristers
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
Bachelor of Arts
Honors: Outstanding Senior Award--College of Arts and Sciences
Honors: Male Scholar Athlete of the Year; New Mexico State Football, WAC Conference.
Areas of Practice:
Personal Injury
Wrongful Death
Insurance Law
Education Law
Litigation & Appeals
Administrative Hearings & Adjudication
Recent Appellate Decisions:
Bill Morgan, et al v. Show Low Unified School District
Mary Henry v. Chandler Educational Foundation
Batty v. Glendale Union High School District
Redding v. Safford Unified School District #1(9th Cir. En Banc)
Safford Unified School District #1 v. Redding (U.S. Supreme Court)
Estate of Maddison De Sela v. Prescott Unified, et al (Arizona Supreme Court)
Camreta v. Greene, (U.S. Supreme Court Amicus Brief)
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Adjunct Clinical Professor, Arizona State University College of Law
Adjunct Professor, School Law, Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University/ASRRT Academy
Risk Management Issues Seminar, School Districts
Articles and Publications:
The National Law Journal
Past/Present Affiliations:
Arizona Association of Defense Council-Member
Defense Research Institute-Member
National School Boards Association-Member
Arizona School Board Association-Member
Arizona Council of School Attorneys-Member
Experience:
James v. Juetten, Maricopa County CV 90-91848
Renteria v. Oakland Athletics Baseball Company, Maricopa County CV 92-06818
Hernandez v. Kosowsky, Maricopa County CV 92-08592
Garwood v. Phillips, Maricopa County CV 92-13007
Leyva v. McCarty, Maricopa County CV 92-21305
Kassel v. Delta Electric & Air, Inc., Maricopa County CV 92-01448
Coburn v. Van Rooy Plumbing, Mohave County CV 93-252
Kellis v. Rubash, Mohave County CV 93-001 (no trial report made)
Koyle v. Economy Heating & Cooling, Mohave County CV 93-426
Dunn v. Madison Elementary School District No. 38, Maricopa County CV 93-07201
Castro v. Stinson, Maricopa County CV 94-09673
Garibo-Madrigal v. Kaegle, Maricopa County CV 94-02321
Gonzales v. Jarnigan Farms, Maricopa County CV 94-00825
Alpha Sigma Housing v. Arizona State University, Maricopa County CV 94-19612
Borghaus v. Gilbert Unified School District, Maricopa County Nos. CV 94-06744 and CV 95-06222 (Consolidated)
Dembowski v. Humboldt Unified School District No. 22, Yavapai County CV 95-0840
Calabrese v. Mohave Union High School, Mohave County 95CV426
Hernandez v. Best, Maricopa County CV 95-06125
Rhodes v. Big John's Auto Wrecking & Sales, Pima County 298980
Salman v. Ditter, Maricopa County CV 95-04157
Kim v. Hollobaugh, Maricopa County CV 95-03828
Benitez v. Vanosdell Farms, Maricopa County CV 95-14164
Delgado v. Murphy Elementary School District No. 21, Maricopa County CV 96-12555
Adams v. Morrison, Yavapai County Nos. CV 960442 and CV 96-23292 (Consolidated)
Hanley v. Deen, Pinal County CV 96043509
Conaway v. Hardy, Maricopa County Nos. CV 96-91758 and CV 97-06551(Consolidated)
Kappas v. Copus, Maricopa County CV 97-02082
Seek/Blake v. Safford Unified School District, Graham County 970032
Martinec v. AEX, Maricopa County CV97-07936
Baird v. Gilbert Unified School District, Maricopa County CV 97-15818
Hodge v. Gilbert, Yavapai County CV 97-0288
Royer v. Lunt, Graham County CV970088
Davenport v. Willcox Unified School District, Cochise County CV 98-000224
Masengale v. Diamond Q Farms, Maricopa County CV 97-17056
Maynard v. Greenworld Nurseries, Maricopa County CV 98-03189
Hoffen v. Alhambra Elementary School District No. 68, Maricopa County CV98-15248
Appleton v. Bombardieri Construction Co., Yavapai County CV 980398
BFI/Pitts v. Avondale Elementary School District, Maricopa County CV 98-20870
Schmidt v. Arledge, Maricopa County, CV99-10154
Ruyle/Pope v. Rodrigues, et al., Maricopa County CV 2000-009649
Begay v. Salazar, et al., Maricopa County CV 2001-021480
John Doe, et al. v. Madison School District No. 38, et al., Maricopa County CV 2002-020717
Stotts v. Kennedy, Navajo County CV 2002-02717
Harper v. Coolidge Unified School District, Maricopa County CV 2004-005653
Batty v. Glendale Union High School District, Maricopa County CV 2007-002518
Safford Unified School District v. Redding, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 08-479
Gray v. Gilbert Unified School District, Maricopa County CV2007-015047
Konyen v. Mountain Quail Holdings, LLC, La Paz County Superior Court CV200800150
Joshua Crittenden v. Eastern Arizona College et al., Graham County Superior Court, CV-2007259