T. MATTHEW LECKMAN
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Education:
- 2000 - Bachelor of Arts in Politics & Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh, magna cum laude
- 2003 - Juris Doctorate, Temple University School of Law
Admissions:
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (2004)
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania (2005)
- United States District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania (2009)
- United States District Court, District of Nebraska (2006)
- United States District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas (2006)
- United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit (2006)
- United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit (2011)
- United States Supreme Court (2009)
Memberships:
- Montgomery County Bar Association
- Philadelphia County Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association
- Pennsylvania Association for Justice
- American Association for Justice
Awards, Accomplishments, & Recognitions:
- Two-time Champion, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Mock Trial Competition
- Temple University School of Law, Barrister Award
- Garfinkle & Corbman Scholarship for Excellence in Trial Advocacy
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, James J. Mandarino Award for Trial Advocacy
- Center for Forensic Economic Studies, Most Promising Litigator Award
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, Rising Star (2010, 2011)
- The National Trial Lawyers Assocation, Top 40 Under 40 (2011)
Publications:
- "Breathing Life Into Federal Preemption After FDA's Final Rule On Prescription Drug Labeling," Mealey's Litigation Report, March 2006, Volume 5, Issue #11
Matt has been with Pogust Braslow & Millrood since 2005. Given his significant accomplishments at the firm, Matt was named a partner at the end of 2011.
Matt is a 2003 graduate of the Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law. Following graduation, he spent two years clerking for the Honorable Ronald D. Castille of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court (now Chief Justice). Since joining the firm in 2005, he has focused his practice almost exclusively on mass torts and complex pharmaceutical litigation. He has handled all facets of litigation, including discovery, motion practice, trial, and appellate work. Matt had extensive involvement with and oversight of the firm's antidepressant (SSRI) suicide injury cases, which helped lead to settlement of dozens of Paxil, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Celexa, and Lexapro injury cases. Since 2008, his practice has been centered on hormone therapy litigation. He litigates the firm's cases in federal courts across the country and locally in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas' Mass Tort Program.
Among Matt's major achievements are his role in two hormone therapy trials that resulted in multi-million dollar verdicts for the plaintiffs.
In November 2009, Matt assisted as trial counsel along with lead counsel, Tobi Millrood, in the trial of Kendall v. Wyeth, et al. In Kendall, a woman brought suit against Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Upjohn Corporation, claiming that her use of the companies' combination hormone therapy (HT) drugs caused her breast cancer. After a five-week trial, the jury awarded the plaintiff $6.3 million in compensatory damages and $28 million in punitive damages. [Read more]. After the trial court reduced the punitive award, Matt spearheaded the briefing of the appeal that was successful in achieving reinstatement of the entire award by the Pennsylvania Superior Court. The case remains on appeal.
In December 2011, Matt served as trial counsel with Tobi Millrood and Ted Meadows of the Beasley Allen law firm in the trial of Mulderig, et al. v. Wyeth, et al. In Mulderig, three separate women brought claims against Wyeth and Upjohn for their breast cancers, and following only the first phase of the trial on medical causation and damages, the jury awarded an aggregate of $72.6 million in compensatory damages. [Read more] The case resulted in a confidential settlement.
In his spare time, Matt is an Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy at the Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University and coaches the mock trial team in national and regional tournaments, including AAJ's annual Student Advocacy Competition.
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