- OVERVIEW
- INSIGHTS
- NEWS & EVENTS
INDUSTRIES
PRACTICES
-
Education
-
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law,
J.D.
Missouri Law Review
-
University of Missouri-Columbia,
B.A.
-
-
Admissions
-
Missouri
-
Illinois
-
Missouri Supreme Ct
-
Illinois Supreme Ct
-
US Supreme Ct
-
US Ct Appeals, 8th Circuit (Covers AR, IA, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
-
US Ct Appeals, 7th Circuit (Covers IL, IN, WI)
-
Missouri USDC, Eastern District
-
Missouri USDC, Western District
-
Illinois USDC, Northern District
-
Illinois USDC, Southern District
-
-
Affiliations
-
American College of Tax Counsel (Fellow)
-
American Bar Association (ABA)
Section of Litigation, Section of Taxation: State & Local Taxes Committee (Executive Committee)
-
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT)
ABA/IPT Advanced State Income Tax Seminar Committee (Chair)
IPT St. Louis Local Luncheon Group (Chair)
-
National Association of State Bar Tax Sections (NASBTS) (Executive Committee)
-
Independent SALT Alliance (ISA) (Member)
-
Tax Counsel Network (TCN) (Member)
-
The Missouri Bar
Taxation Law Committee (Vice Chair)
Financial Services Committee
Civil Practice and Procedure Committee
-
Illinois State Bar Association
-
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL)
-
Association of the Bar of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
-
Missouri Bankers Association
-
Missouri Organization of Defense Layers (MODL)
-
The Supreme Court of Missouri Historical Society
-
Towers of Excellence Charitable Foundation (Board of Directors)
-
-
Recognitions
-
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® (by BL Rankings), 2021-2025
-
Institute of Professionals in Taxation (IPT), 2019 New Member Achievement Award
-
Included in "Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers" Rising Stars list, 2009 (by Thomson Reuters)
-
-
Employment
-
Thompson Coburn LLP
Partner, 2011-Present
Associate, 2003-2010
Summer Associate, 2001
-
Supreme Court of Missouri
Clerk to Honorable Duane Benton, 2002-2003
-
Matt practices in the areas of state and local tax (SALT) controversy, banking and financial services litigation, business litigation and appellate.
His SALT controversy work involves representing taxpayers before Missouri and Illinois state and local taxing authorities in corporate income, franchise, sales/use, property and other tax controversies. He has successfully resolved SALT controversies from audits and assessments through appeals, and has also prosecuted numerous large refund claims. Matt has experience in all facets of SALT litigation, and has handled administrative tax appeals before the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission, Missouri State Tax Commission, Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal, Illinois Informal Conference Board and other state and local administrative tribunals and agencies.
Matt's banking and financial services litigation and business litigation practices cover a wide range of disputes including lender liability, check collection and check fraud, and other aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code, as well as contract, real estate, fraud, non-compete, medical practice breakups and peer review proceedings, officer fiduciary and company dissolution and accounting. Matt has tried cases in the state and federal trial courts in Missouri and Illinois, and handled appeals before the Supreme Court of Missouri, Illinois Supreme Court, the Missouri and Illinois Courts of Appeal and the United States Courts of Appeal for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits.
Matt is a former law clerk to the Honorable Duane Benton of the Supreme Court of Missouri, a former Missouri Director of Revenue who currently serves as Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Publications
"Escaping Ethical Trickery in the Cyber Web,"
State Tax Notes, October 28, 2019, pp. 311-314
Presentations
"The State Wants Us to Disclose What?! Protecting Confidential Taxpayer Information in Audits and Controversies,"
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), 2022 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, June 27, 2022
“Tax Dispute Resolution in the Virtual World,”
28th Annual Paul J. Hartman State and Local Tax Forum, Vanderbilt University Law School, Nashville, Tennessee, October 27, 2022
“The Remote Workforce and Taxes,”
National Association of State Bar Tax Sections (NASBTS), 42nd Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, October 21, 2021
“Missouri Property Tax Panel,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2021 Missouri Manufacturing, Tax & Business Conference (Virtual), October 19, 2021
“Ethics for Tax Professionals,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2021 Missouri Manufacturing, Tax & Business Conference (Virtual), October 18, 2021
“The Sales/Use Tax Refund Minefield: Better Watch Where You Step!,”
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), 2021 Sales Tax Symposium, Palm Springs, California, September 22, 2021
"Qualifying To Do Business In A State - How Does That Impact An Entity's Tax Status,"
Council on State Taxation (COST) 2021 State Income Tax Webinar (Virtual), April 27, 2021
"'And I'll Huff, and I'll Puff, and I'll Blow Your [Argument] Down" Statutory Construction - The Foundation of a Persuasive Tax Argument,"
American Bar Association (ABA)/Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT) Advance State Income Tax Seminar (Virtual), March 18, 2021
“Midwest Region—Missouri Update,"
Independent SALT Alliance (ISA), 2021 Winter Meeting (Virtual), January 19, 2021
“Rocky Roads and Pit Falls—Valuing Mines, Quarries, and Reserves for Property Tax Purposes,”
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), 2020 Property Tax Symposium (Virtual), November 12, 2020
“Ask the Experts (Tax Q&A) Panel,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2020 Missouri Tax, Manufacturing, and Business Conference (Virtual), October 21, 2020
“Missouri Property Tax Panel,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2020 Missouri Tax, Manufacturing, and Business Conference (Virtual), October 20, 2020
“Ethics for Tax Professionals,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2020 Missouri Tax, Manufacturing, and Business Conference (Virtual), October 19, 2020
"Lender Liability Issues in Loan Documentation, Administration, and Enforcement,"
Central Bancompany, Inc. (Virtual), June 4, 2020
“Southeastern Regional Roundtable – Missouri Update,”
Independent SALT Alliance (ISA), 2020 Winter Meeting, Orlando, Florida, January 21, 2020
“Legislative Solutions to Tax Problems,”
Independent SALT Alliance (ISA), 2020 Winter Meeting, Orlando, Florida, January 20, 2020
“Missouri Property Tax Panel,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2019 Missouri Tax, Manufacturing, and Business Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 18, 2019
“Missouri’s Manufacturing and Production Exemptions,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2019 Missouri Tax, Manufacturing, and Business Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 17, 2019
Ethics for SALT Professionals In The ‘New’ State Tax World,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2019 Missouri Tax, Manufacturing, and Business Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 16, 2019
“Don’t Get Caught in the Ethics Web – Maneuvering Around Tough Ethical Issues in a Technological World,”
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), 2019 Value Added Tax Symposium, San Antonio, Texas, September 25, 2019
"Tax Research Tips and Tricks,"
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), 2019 Sales Tax Symposium, San Antonio, Texas, September 25, 2019
"National Judicial Update & Discussion of Selected State Tax Issues, Cases, and Policy Trends,"
Council On State Taxation (COST), Midwest Regional State Tax Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, August 21, 2019
"Expanding Opportunities For State and Local Collection Alternatives For Small Business Owners,"
American Bar Association (ABA), Section of Taxation, Washington, D.C., May 10, 2019
“Ethics in Action from Wayfair to Technology,”
American Bar Association (ABA), Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), 2019 Advanced State Income and Sales/Use Tax Seminars, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 12, 2019
“Midwest Regional Roundtable,”
Independent SALT Alliance (ISA), 2019 Winter Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, January 21, 2019
"Missouri Property Tax Law: Know Your Rights,”
Missouri Limestone Producers Association (MLPA), 74th Annual Convention, Lake Ozark, Missouri, November 29, 2018
“Ethical Do’s and Don’ts of Credits and Incentives Negotiations,”
Institute for Professionals In Taxation (IPT), 2018 Credits & Incentives Symposium, Orlando, Florida November 9, 2018
“Reviewing Key Ethical Issues Facing SALT Lawyers And How They Can Be Avoided And/Or Resolved,”
National Association of State Bar Tax Sections (NASBTS), 39th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, October 27, 2018
"Missouri Manufacturing/Production Exemption...What Do We Do Now?!,"
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2018 Missouri Tax, Manufacturing, and Business Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 18, 2018
"Ethics in Action: Trick or Treat? How to Identify and Avoid Scary Conflicts of Interest and Other Ethical Dilemmas,"
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2018 Missouri Tax, Manufacturing, and Business Conference, Columbia, Missouri October 17, 2018
"What the June 2018 Supreme Court Ruling in Wayfair Means for Your Sales/Use Tax Obligations,"
Brown Smith Wallace Breakfast Meeting, St. Louis, Missouri October 9, 2018
"The Road Not Taken: Ethical Lessons for Tax Professionals,"
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), 2018 Sales Tax Symposium, Palm Springs, California October 2, 2018
"Current Developments in the Midwest States,”
Council On State Taxation (COST), Midwest Regional State Tax Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri June 13, 2018
"Discussion of State Tax Cases, Issues, and Policy Matters to Watch,”
Council On State Taxation (COST), Midwest Regional State Tax Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri June 13, 2018
“Witness Examination and Cross-Examination in Property Tax Appeals,”
International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), Preparation and Trial Seminar, Chapel Hill, North Carolina June 8, 2018
“Review of UCC, Reg. CC, and Issues Related to Check Collection,”
First Bank, St. Louis, Missouri June 7, 2018
“How To Recognize and When to Challenge Constitutional Issues in Ad Valorem Taxation,”
American Bar Association (ABA)/Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT) Advanced Property Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 22, 2018
“Traps for the Unwary When Preparing for Litigation,”
American Bar Association (ABA)/Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT) Advanced Income Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 20, 2018
“Top Ten Traps for the Unwary in State Tax Audits and Controversies,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2017 Missouri Manufacturing, Tax and Business Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 19, 2017
“Ethics in Action: Trick or Treat?,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2017 Missouri Manufacturing, Tax and Business Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 18, 2017
“The Road Not Taken: Ethical Lessons for Tax Professionals in an Age of Alternative Facts,”
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), Sales Tax Symposium, San Antonio, Texas, September 20, 2017
"Handling Tax Controversies to 'Win',"
Council On State Taxation (COST), Midwest Regional State Tax Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, August 10, 2017
"Lender Liability Issues in Loan Documentation, Administration, and Enforcement,"
Central Bancompany, Inc., Jefferson City, Missouri, June 23, 2017
"Recent National Developments in Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Utilities,"
State Tax Roundtable for Utilities & Power, Spring 2017 STARTUP Conference Hosted by Ameren Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri, May 17, 2017
"Nuts & Bolts of State and Local Tax: Practicing Constitutional Law Every Day,"
American Bar Association (ABA), Section of Taxation, 2017 May Meeting, Washington, D.C., May 11, 2017
"Dealing with the Difficult Audit and Preparing for Appeal/Litigation in Court and in Appeals Court,"
American Bar Association (ABA); Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT) Advanced Sales and Use Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 22, 2017
“Nuts & Bolts of State and Local Tax: Practicing Constitutional Law Every Day,”
American Bar Ass’n (ABA), Section of Taxation, 2017 Midyear Meeting, Orlando, Florida, January 21, 2017
“Taking the Fright out of Ethics,”
Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT), St. Louis Luncheon Group Meeting, St. Louis, Missouri, October 25, 2016
“Traps for the Unwary in Audits, Appeals, and Litigation,”
Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), 2016 Missouri Tax, Business and Manufacturing Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 20, 2016
"Witness Examination and Cross-Examination in Real Property Tax Appeals,"
International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), Preparation and Trial Seminar, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, June 3, 2016
"Preparing A Case For Trial – What Do I Do?,"
American Bar Association (ABA)/Institute For Professionals In Taxation (IPT), Advanced Income Tax Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 29, 2016
"Recent State & Federal Banking Court Decisions,"
Missouri Bankers Association (MBA), 19th Annual Bank Legal Issues Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 25 & 26, 2012
"Recent State & Federal Banking Court Decisions,"
Missouri Bankers Association (MBA),18th Annual Bank Legal Issues Conference, Columbia, Missouri, October 27 & 28, 2011
"Ethical Advocacy in Federal Court,"
Fifth Annual Federal Practice Fundamentals Seminar, Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse, October 8, 2009