J. Matthew Maguire, Jr.
Partner J. Matthew Maguire, Jr. has been a trial lawyer for over 20 years. He enjoys a diverse practice that includes litigating against government entities, business, construction and employment litigation. A substantial amount of Matt’s practice is devoted to the representation of government contractors in bid protests and related litigation. He has also decided bid protests as a Fulton County Bid Protest Hearing Officer.
Matt has held Martindale-Hubbell’s highest ability and ethical rating (AV) for lawyers since 2001. He has been recognized by Law & Politics and Atlanta Magazine as a Georgia Super Lawyer (2011, 2012) and a Rising Star (2005, 2006), as well as a “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend (2013) . In 2008, the Fulton County Daily Report selected Matt as one of twelve Georgia attorneys under the age of 40 who are “on the rise.” Matt is a graduate of the 2011 class of Leadership Georgia, and he is a former chair of the Litigation Section of the Atlanta Bar Association (2013-2014). He is a graduate of the University of Virginia (1990) and Georgia State University College of Law (1995), where he served on the law review.
Education J.D., Georgia State University College of Law, 1995
University of Virginia, 1990
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice Georgia
Professional & Bar Association Memberships Atlanta Bar Association
Representative Experience Convinced the Georgia Department of Administrative Services to disqualify intended RFP awardees and to award the following contracts to firm clients:
- Department of Corrections Prison Commissary Supplies in 2007 and again in 2014 (affirmed in Superior Court of Fulton County, Case No. 2014cv246570).
- Department of Community Health Non-Emergency Transportation Services in 2012.
- Department of Corrections Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program in 2008.
Others:
- Obtained reversal in Eleventh Circuit of a ruling that a large tax preparation service’s non-compete covenant was enforceable (H&R Block Enterprises v. Morris, 606 F.3d 1285 (11th Cir. 2010).
- Convinced the Georgia Supreme Court that the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs has no authority to investigate a law firm (State of Georgia v. Frederick J. Hanna & Associates, P.C. 287 Ga. 287 (2010).
- Lead plaintiff’s counsel in a jury trial resulting in substantial damages assessed against Fulton County for selective enforcement laws, affirmed on appeal at Fulton County v. Legacy Investment Group, LLC, 296 Ga. App. 822, 676 S.E. 2d 388 (2009).
- Represented a Fulton County employee in a Section 1983 race discrimination case that resulted in a jury verdict and a $1.6 million recovery.
- Convinced the WMATA Inspector General to publicly withdraw an unfavorable audit of government contractor.
- Lead trial counsel in a successful action to strike down an unconstitutional moratorium on the issuance of building permits.
- Lead trial counsel for a businessman seeking to recover his ownership interest in a consulting business, which resulted in significant punitive damages and an award of attorneys’ fees.
- Won dismissal of a State Ethics Commission proceeding against a sitting superior court judge.
- Successfully protested an Atlanta Airport concessions procurement on several grounds, including misapplication of federal DBE regulations, which led to a decision to reissue the solicitation.
- Secured a substantial settlement for a Georgia whistleblower who was retaliated against for reporting fraud, waste and abuse by a state government entity.
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