
Matthew C. Murphy
Shareholder & Co-Chair, Product Liability & Complex Torts
Matt is an experienced litigator with a diverse practice ranging from personal injury and product liability defense to business and intellectual property disputes. He represents many ski and other recreation areas against personal injury claims; a Class I railroad in FELA ligation; and manufacturers of consumer and industrial products against design defect, manufacturing defect, and failure to warn claims.
Matt also represents companies and individuals in copyright, trademark, and trade secret litigation; handles breach of contract cases, including non-competition and sales representative agreements; and defends companies against allegations of unfair competition and consumer fraud. Matt enjoys working proactively with clients to ensure their marketing and advertising campaigns could not be construed as misleading or deceptive and, in particular, that their environmental marketing claims are FTC Green Guide compliant.
When Matt is not working, he can be found at home with his wife and two young children. He enjoys canoe and camping trips, long-distance running, reading, and watching historical-action series.
Key Practice Experience
- Appellate advocacy
- Product liability
- Commercial litigation
- Intellectual property disputes
- Non-compete and trade secrets litigation
- Commercial transportation litigation
- Business torts
- Shareholder and partnership disputes
- Premises liability
- Consumer fraud
- Class actions
- Contracts, warranty, and UCC disputes
Key Industry Experience
- Recreational Products
- Consumer Products
- Industrial Products
- Commercial Transportation
- Recreation Areas
- Building Materials
- Hospitality
- Food and Beverage
Recognitions and Honors
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Joseph M. McLaughlin, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2012-2013)
- Law Clerk to Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (2009-2011)
- Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award
- Alpha Sigma Nu
Publications and Presentations
- Risk Management for Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Competitions, United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association, Bloomington, MN, June 2022
- COVID-19: Mitigating Business and Legal Risks, ALFA International, August 2020
- Remedies for Copyright and Trademark Infringement, Minnesota Paralegal Association, Intellectual Property Sectional, July 2020
- Hospitality and COVID-19: Mitigating Health and Legal Risks, Hospitality Minnesota, July 2020
- Employer Liability When Workers Contract COVID-19, May 2020
- Avoiding False Advertising Claims During COVID-19, May 2020
- Minnesota Skiers and Snowboarders Now Liable for Injuries on the Slope; are Other Sports Next?, January 2019
- U.S. Supreme Court Deems FELA Payments as Taxable, March 2019
- Responding to Document Requests Under the New Rule 34, DRI Commercial Litigation Seminar, April 2018
- CPSC Settlement Reinforces Need for Product Manufacturers to Proactively Implement Safety Compliance Programs, April 17, 2017
- CPSC Wins Decisively in Rare Decision Addressing Procedural Defenses to CPSA Enforcement Actions, November 2016
- Incoming! Despite Lack of ‘Ice Missile’ Laws in Some States, Trucking Companies Still Potentially Liable for Negligence, TIDA (Trucking Industry Defense Association) 2015 Fall Newsletter, December 2015
- The Law of Optional Safety Devices, MDLA Products Liability Committee, December 2015
Professional Associations
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- DRI
- Current Membership Chair, Commerical Litigation Committee
- Former Young Lawyer Liaison, Commercial Litigation Substantive Law Committee
- Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
- Federal Bar Association
Community Engagement
- Board of Directors, Milkweed Editions
- Board of Directors, Open Book
- Volunteer investigator, 4th Judicial District Ethics Committee
- Avoiding False Advertising Claims During COVID-19
- Employer Liability When Workers Contract COVID-19
- U.S. Supreme Court Deems FELA Payments as Taxable
- Minnesota Skiers and Snowboarders Now Liable for Injuries on the Slopes; Are Other Sports Next?
- Benjamin Johnson and Matthew Murphy Promoted to Shareholder at Nilan Johnson Lewis
- CPSC Settlement Reinforces Need for Product Manufacturers to Proactively Implement Safety Compliance Programs
- CPSC Wins Decisively in Rare Decision Addressing Procedural Defenses to CPSA Enforcement Actions
- Nilan Johnson Lewis Successfully Defends Client Evenflo Against Class Action Claims
- Incoming! Despite Lack of “Ice Missile” Laws in Minnesota, Trucking Companies Still Potentially Liable for Negligence