Matt Gilligan is a partner in the firm’s Labor and Employment Group. He concentrates his practice on litigation of employment-related disputes, counseling companies on compliance with labor and employment laws, and on occupational safety and health law.

Matt has successfully defended companies against all types of discrimination and retaliation/whistleblower claims under various federal and state statutes, as well as claims based on common law tort and contract theories. He regularly counsels companies on employment–related matters and has led several company internal investigations. He has managed OSHA investigations for companies, including amputation and fatality cases, and has successfully defended companies in several states against OSHA citations involving various safety and health standards.

Matt is a frequent lecturer on employment law topics, and he has published articles on employment law and other legal topics in The National Law Journal, Occupational Safety & Health Magazine, Georgia Law Review, Military Law Review, Public Safety Labor News, The Army Lawyer, and Pulp & Paper Association Quarterly Review. He has been quoted on employment law topics in Fortune magazine, CNNMoney.com, NYTimes.com, Employment360, and BNA’s Workforce Strategies.

Matt is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, where he was a Distinguished Cadet (top 5 percent). He received a J.D. from the University of Georgia, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Georgia Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. He earned a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School, where he was an Honor Graduate.

Matt is a Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Ready Reserves (JAG Corps). He served 14 years on active duty, including 5 in the Infantry and 7 as a Judge Advocate in various positions, including litigation attorney and criminal prosecutor in military courts-martial. He is admitted to the Georgia and Massachusetts bars, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Military Appeals, and 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.