Matt Boyer is a Partner and Office Co-Chair of Freeman Mathis & Gary’s Atlanta office. He also serves as a Vice-Chair of the firm’s national Insurance Coverage and Extra-Contractual Liability national practice section. Matt advises and represents insurers in a variety of third-party and first-party coverage matters arising under commercial general liability, personal auto, business auto, umbrella, and errors and omissions, professional liability, and property and crime policies. Matt has extensive experience in evaluating coverage and risk transfer issues with respect to construction defect claims, as well as a wide variety of other claims from catastrophic personal injury to international product recalls. From preparing coverage analysis and evaluations during claim investigations, to preparing reservation of rights and coverage position letters, to pursuing declaratory judgment and contribution actions, Matt works with his clients throughout the claim-handling process.

As part of his Extra-Contractual Liability practice, Matt is often called on by his clients to provide analysis and guidance with respect to evaluation of time-limited demands and avoidance of bad faith. He provides advice regarding claims of bad faith and has defended his clients against such claims in litigation in both state and federal courts.  Matt also regularly represents his insurer clients evaluating UM/UIM claims and defending them in litigation.

Matt is also member of the firm’s Tort and Governmental liability practice groups. An experienced trial attorney, Matt has defended insured, corporate, and governmental clients in litigation throughout the State of Georgia. In addition to pre-trial resolution of his cases on summary judgment and at mediation, Matt has tried multiple cases to verdict in all of Georgia’s federal districts, and has represented his clients before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Matt is a Major in the JAG Corps of the United States Air Force as a reservist and has served as a Special Assistant Attorney General (SAAG) for the State of Georgia. As a SAAG, Matt has represented state government agencies, officials, and employees in constitutional litigation brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. After graduation from law school at Tulane University, Matt spent two years clerking for The Honorable W. Brevard Hand (dec.), Senior District Judge for the United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama.

Georgia

• Tiptoeing the Minefield: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Background Checks, Negligent Hiring, and “Ban the Box” Legislation, In-House Defense Quarterly, Spring 2015

• Farmer, et al. v. Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, et al., Civil Action No. 1:10-cv-2148-ODE, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. In a case featured on ESPN’s Outside the Lines, defended university officials and football coaching staff against claims of purported race discrimination in the recruitment of white-student athletes to a historically black university.  Obtained summary judgment on most of the claims prior to trial and, subsequently, obtained a jury verdict in favor the head football coach at trial.  Defended the summary judgment and verdict on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Farmer, et al. v. Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia et al., No. 13-13206.  See 589 Fed.App’x. 913 (11th Cir. 2014)
• Coleman v. Danforth, et al., Civil Action No.: 3:16-cv-95-DHB, United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Obtained jury verdict in favor or client corrections officials and officers against claims of failure to protect in violation of the Eighth Amendment.
• Hayles v. Smith, et al., Civil Action No. 6:10-cv-13, United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.  Obtained jury verdict in favor of client corrections officers against claims of excessive use of force in violation of the Eighth Amendment.
• Nix v. Rockwell, et al., Civil Action No. 5:10-cv-256, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.  Obtained summary judgment as to some claims, and jury verdict as to remaining claims, against client corrections officers for allegations of excessive use of force.
• Collins v. Bridges, et al., Civil Action No. 5:09-cv-109, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.  Obtained jury verdict in favor of client corrections officers against allegations of purported used of excessive force.
• Williams v. Ralley, et al., Civil Action No. 1:10-cv-087, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Obtained jury verdict in favor of client corrections officers against allegations of purported used of excessive force.
• Sutton v. Georgia Correction Industries, et al., Civil Action No. 1:10-cv-062, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.  Obtained dismissal of lawsuit brought for alleged constitutional violations against clients based upon Plaintiff’s loss of appendage during workplace accident.
• Lawrimore v. Old Republic Ins. Co. , et al., Civil Action No. 2:14-cv-1275, United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.  Appearing pro hac vice, obtained summary judgment for client in declaratory judgment action regarding liability for Plaintiff’s damages under South Carolina statue and the federal Motor Carrier Act.

• American Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute (DRI)
• Georgia Defense Lawyers Association (GDLA)
• Federal Bar Association
• Atlanta Bar Association
• Lawyers Club of Atlanta

2024-2026 editions of The Best Lawyers in America^®

• Super Lawyers – 2020, 2021, 2025 ; Rising Star – 2015 – 2019
• Georgia Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
• State Bar of Georgia, Young Lawyer’s Division – Leadership Academy 2011

• Comparing Time-Limited Demand Requirements in Massachusetts, Georgia, and California and Best Practices for Responding in Each Jurisdiction (2021)
• Social Unrest in 2020 and Property Insurance: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, But It May Be Covered, December 2020
• From Facebook to Tik Tok: Obtaining and Using Social Media in Litigation, January 2020
• Defending and Preparing for the 30(b)(6) Deposition, January 2020
• UM Coverage in Georgia: Who Qualifies, Stacking, & Priority, May 2019
• Bad Faith and Obligations to Excess Insurers, April 2019
• Georgia Bad Faith Law and Recent Developments, May 2015