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		Who: Matthew A. Slater, JD '03 From: Londonderry, New Hampshire Undergraduate School: Skidmore College Major: Government; minor in Law & Society Firm: Associate at D'Ambrosio Law Offices, Boston, MA

1. What city and state did you grow up in?
      I grew up in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

 

2. Where did you go to undergrad?
      I went to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. During my junior year in college, I attended the Washington Semester Program at American University and interned in the United States Senate (at the time of the Clinton impeachment trial).

 

3. What did you major in?
      At Skidmore, I majored in Government and minored in Law & Society.

 

4. If you didn’t enter law school directly after undergraduate school, what did you do prior to law school?
      I went directly from college to law school.

 

5. When did you realize you wanted to become an attorney?
      I have always wanted to be an attorney. I remember being in the 3rd grade and learning about United States history and our legal system and have been captivated with the law and our judicial system ever since.

 

6. Describe your practice group?
      My legal career has been focused almost exclusively on litigation and trial practice. I practice primarily in the areas of commercial and business litigation, international litigation, tort defense, and criminal defense.
   Over the past two years, my cases have taken me across the country for depositions and mediations, and to Vancouver, Canada and Mumbai, India for witness depositions.

 

7. Looking back at your time at UM Law what are some of your most memorable moments?
      My most memorable moments at the law school were (i) Litigation Skills and my internship placement at the Dade County Public Defender’s Office; and (ii) working on my law review article with Professor Mary Coombs.
   The litigation skills program at the University is fantastic and was by far my most memorable experience at the school. It provided me with the tools to be a successful litigator, and the experience and practice to be confident in any courtroom.
   Working on my law review article for the International and Comparative Law Review was both challenging and rewarding. I worked with Professor Mary Coombs on my article, which evolved from a general statement of international law to a focused analysis of U.S. law and policy on international rendition of terrorist suspects in foreign countries. Professor Coombs’ motivation and thoroughness had a big impact not only on the evolution of the article, but also on the development of my legal research and writing skills. The article was published in the Summer, 2003.

 

8. Describe the path you took after graduating from UM Law that led to your current position.
      I took the Litigation Skills program during the Spring of my second year. At the end of the program, I was placed as a Summer Certified Legal Intern at the Dade County Public Defender’s Office. Following that internship, I was offered a position as an Assistant Public Defender for Miami-Dade County.
   As an Assistant Public Defender, I tried criminal cases ranging from juvenile delinquency proceedings to misdemeanors to complex felonies.
   I left the Public Defender’s office and relocated to Boston, Massachusetts in the Spring, 2005 so my wife, Danielle, could pursue her dental education at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.

 

9. What is the most challenging part of your job? The most rewarding?
      The most challenging part of my practice is the unexpected. With litigation, there can be many surprises from one day to the next. New issues always come up and facts evolve and develop, sometimes right up until the time of trial.
   The most rewarding part of my practice is being able to make a positive impact on a client’s life. Cases involve real issues and real people.
   This past September, I tried the case of Commonwealth v. Lopes wherein my client was a mechanic at Honda Cars of Boston and was test driving a vehicle around a rotary in Medford, Massachusetts. He was on his way back to the dealership and hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The pedestrian passed away as a result of the accident. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts charged Mr. Lopes with motor vehicle homicide, which carried a jail sentence and a fifteen (15) year loss of driver’s license if he was convicted. If convicted, or if he had reached a plea agreement, he would have lost his license, his job, and his livelihood.
   I truly believed the incident was a tragic accident and not the result of any criminal wrongdoing. Being able to help Mr. Lopes prevail at trial and save his career was truly one of the most rewarding moments of my career.

 

10. How do you juggle family, work, sanity?
       I have learned that it is extremely important to have a balance between work and professional activities, and family life. It is important to make time for family, loved ones, and friends because at the end of the day, they are the ones that will be there for you and with you for the rest of your life.

 

11. How did the city of Miami play into your decision to attend UM Law?
       Miami played a large part in my attending the University. It was a vibrant city full of culture with a lot to offer academically, socially, and employment wise.

 

12. How have you seen the law evolve since you first started practicing?
       I think there has been a trend over the past few years where the law has become less protective of individual privacy rights and considerations. That is surely an example of how the law evolves depending upon the times and circumstances of history.

 

13. What advice do you have for people who are not sure about going to law school?
       My advice would be to speak with a practicing attorney about their practice and experiences to explore whether a legal education is something that intrigues them to pursue.
    I had a few family members and friends who were unsure about whether to pursue a legal education. Once they began receiving literature and videos from law schools, they saw the benefits of a law degree first hand and decided that it was something they wanted to pursue.

 

14. What advice do you have for 3L’s just about to graduate?
       My advice would be to take one thing at a time and try not to get overwhelmed. Concentrate on the bar exam and the bar review courses. I took bar exams in both Florida and Massachusetts and found that if you stick to the bar review course recommendations and do the practice questions everyday, the preparation and exam become much more manageable.

 

15. What was the last movie you saw? What was the last book you read?
        Movie: Slum Dog Millionaire
    Book: The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin

 

16. What do you think the best thing about living in South Florida was?
       I thoroughly enjoyed living in South Florida. Miami offers all of the academic, cultural and employment opportunities of a big city, as well as all of the perks and luxuries of a tropical vacation.

 

17. If you were not a lawyer what would you be?
       I would probably be a college government professor.

 

18. Where do you want to be in 10 years?
       I would like to be doing what I am doing now, and hopefully still enjoying it.

 

19. What do you think the best thing about having a law degree is?
       Having the knowledge and tools to be able to solve problems for clients and to try cases when necessary.

 

20. List any other comments or bits of information about yourself that you think are interesting (e.g., hobbies, volunteer work, etc.)
       UM Law Activities:
    • I appeared in the Equity Playhouse production during my first year at UM Law.
    • Vice Justice of Phi Alpha Delta during my second year at UM Law.
    • Mock Trial Coach for UM’s undergraduate mock trial team.
    
    Miscellaneous:
    • Licensed attorney in Florida, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.
    • Admitted pro hac vice in the New Jersey federal courts for two commercial litigation cases.
    • Argued in front of the Massachusetts Appeals Court.