Matt Kaiser
Partner
[email protected] | P (202) 640-2850
“Matt Kaiser is quite simply one of the best lawyers I have ever met“- The Legal 500
“He is an exceptionally well-rounded attorney. Matthew is a zealous advocate, very focused on people and integrates that with a good understanding of the subject matter.” “His counsel, workmanship, and leadership has been second to none.” - Chambers USA
Matt Kaiser helps two kinds of clients: people who are facing a crisis that threatens their reputation, livelihood, or liberty; and lawyers, or their clients, who need counsel about issues involving professional responsibility or legal malpractice.
As a former assistant federal public defender, Matt has substantial litigation and courtroom experience. He also has substantial experience resolving cases or controversies outside of the courtroom. In both 2018 and 2019 he was named by Super Lawyers as one of the 100 top lawyers in Washington, D.C. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for his work in Ethics and Professional Responsibility, White-Collar Criminal Defense, and Civil Rights Law. He has been recognized by Chambers USA in White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations in Washington, DC.
Matt served for three years as the Chair of the District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility. He has been an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he taught professional responsibility. He consults regularly on legal ethics and professional responsibility and has lectured on the topic both locally and nationally.
Matt is active in the legal community. Highlights include:
- Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown University, 2013 to 2020
- Member, ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, 2018 to 2020
- Chair and member of the District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility. (Member 2016-2022, Chair 2019-2022)
- President of the Bar Association of DC, 2017-2018
- Secretary of the D.C. Bar’s Board of Governors, 2014-2015
- Permanent Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
- Barrister, Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court
- Member, Barristers
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
Before founding KaiserDillon PLLC, Matt practiced at Williams & Connolly and Zuckerman Spaeder. After law school, he clerked for United States District Court Judge Catherine Blake.
Education
- J.D., The Georgetown University Law Center, magna cum laude. Senior Articles Editor, The Georgetown Law Journal
- M.A., Tulane University
- B.A., The College of Wooster
Government Service
- Assistant Federal Public Defender, Maryland Federal Public Defender's Office
- Clerkship, The Honorable Catherine C. Blake, United States District Court for the District of Maryland
Matt Kaiser
Partner
[email protected] | P (202) 640-2850
Law 360 – “Handling Corporate Congressional Probes In The Trump Era” co-authored by Bill Pittard
January 17, 2019Matt Kaiser and Justin Dillon in The Washington Post: The Education Department wants to make campus sexual misconduct hearings fairer. It should go further.
September 6, 2018Justin Dillon Opinion Piece in The Washington Post – “The Common App will no longer require disclosure of criminal history. But what it still asks is more troubling.”
August 23, 2018Law360 – “The Latest On Sexual Harassment Reform On The Hill” by Bill Pittard
February 23, 2018Law 360 – “When Russia Investigations Collide” by Bill Pittard
June 7, 2017Justin Dillon and Matt Kaiser Publish Op-Ed: Minnesota’s Failed Football Boycott Was a Blow to Fairness in Campus Sexual Assault Hearings
December 20, 2016Justin Dillon and Matt Kaiser Publish Op-Ed in Los Angeles Times: Absurdity Reigns in Campus Sexual Assault Trials.
April 21, 2016Justin Dillon Publishes Op-Ed on Lawnews.com: Why We Are Suing the Government on Behalf of Students Accused of Sexual Misconduct
April 13, 2016Matt Kaiser Guest Blogs on Washington Legal Foundation The Legal Pulse: Overcriminalization Timeline: Mens Rea, Public Welfare Offenses and Responsible Corporate Officer Doctrine
November 16, 2015Matt Kaiser and Justin Dillon Publish an Editorial in the Los Angeles Times: How to Punish Campus Sexual Assault
November 14, 2015Matt Kaiser Publishes an Editorial in The Washington Times: Being an Executive is not a Crime
November 11, 2015Matt Kaiser and Justin Dillon Publish Editorial in LA Times: Why It’s Unfair for Colleges to Use Outside Investigators in Rape Cases.
September 16, 2015Justin Dillon and Matt Kaiser Publish Op-Ed in the National Law Journal: The DOJ’s Crackdown on White-Collar Crime Creates ‘Cruel Alternative’
September 14, 2015Matt Kaiser and Justin Dillon Publish Op-ed in The Weekly Standard: The Campus Sex Scene: How Congress Can Make It Worse
August 6, 2015Justin Dillon and Matt Kaiser Publish Op-ed in The Washington Post: We’ve defended lots of campus sexual assault cases, so we know just how unfair they are
July 24, 2015Matt Kaiser Publishes Editorial in Baltimore Sun: A Minimum of Reform
November 14, 2014Justin Dillon and Matt Kaiser Publish Op-Ed in San Diego Union-Tribune: California Bill Won’t Solve Sexual Assault Problem on Campus
September 3, 2014Justin Dillon and Matt Kaiser Publish Op-Ed in Boston Herald: College Courts Flunks Fairness Test
August 16, 2014Matt Kaiser Publishes an Article for Time Magazine: Some Rules about Consent are “Unfair” to Male Students”
May 15, 2014Matt Kaiser and Justin Dillon Publish an Editorial in the Wall Street Journal: The White House Flunks a Test on Sexual Assault
May 5, 2014Matt Kaiser and Justin Dillon Publish a Letter to the Editor in the New York Times: The Rights of the Accused
April 28, 2014Jennifer Short authors “The False Claims Act,” and “Settling With The Government,” in The Corporate Compliance Answer Book 2010 by the Practicing Law Institute in June 2010.
June 8, 2010Publication by Jennifer Short appears in the Holland & Knight Health Law and Life Science Alert, titled “Health Care Reform: While Debate Rages, Enforcement Proposals Take Shape.” This article was published August 2009.
August 8, 2009In May 2009, Jennifer Short pens and publishes an article titled “President Obama Signs Landmark Anti-Fraud Bill Into Law,” in the Holland & Knight Government Contracts Alert.
May 8, 2009Matt Kaiser
Partner
[email protected] | P (202) 640-2850
KaiserDillon Recognized in 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers® Peer Review Guide
KaiserDillon Receives Firm and Individual Lawyer Recognitions in the 2022 Chambers USA Guide
Matt Kaiser Teaches CLE on Ethics of Practicing Law in the Post-Covid World
KaiserDillon Attorneys Recognized in 2022 Edition of Best Lawyers® Peer Review Guide
KaiserDillon Receives Firm and Individual Lawyer Recognitions in the 2021 Chambers USA Guide
Washingtonian Magazine Recognizes Matt Kaiser and Jon Jeffress as Washington D.C. Top Lawyers in 2020
Matt Kaiser, Justin Dillon, and Amelia Schmidt Receive Recognition from The Best Lawyers in America
KaiserDillon PLLC Recognized Again by The Legal 500 for White-Collar Criminal Defense
KaiserDillon Partners Matt Kaiser, Justin Dillon, and Jon Jeffress Recognized by Chambers USA
Matt Kaiser Recognized by Chambers USA
Matt Kaiser Appointed to the ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary
Matt Kaiser Addresses Ethics Essentials at the 2018 Administrative Law Conference
Matt Kaiser to Speak on AI and Investigations at the 2018 International Bar Association Conference
Matt Kaiser Appointed Vice-Chair of the D.C. Board on Professional Responsibility
KaiserDillon Selected as a 2018 Best Law Firm in Criminal Defense: White Collar, by U.S. News & World Report
Justin Dillon and Matt Kaiser Author Washington Post Op-Ed on the Future of Title IX Investigations
Matt Kaiser and Justin Dillon Recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Matt Kaiser Speaks to the National Law Journal about His New Role as President of the BADC
National Law Journal quotes Matt Kaiser’s White Collar Bar advice for President Donald Trump
KaiserDillon Publishes a Guide for Students Accused of Campus Sexual Assault
The New York Times Quotes Matt Kaiser about Approaches for Preventing Sexual Assault on College Campuses
Matt Kaiser Appointed to Board of Professional Responsibility, Washington D.C.
The Washington Post Interviews Matt Kaiser about the Hillary Clinton Email Investigation
Matt Kaiser publishes “Criminal Defense Victories in the Federal Courts”
Matt Kaiser Discusses the Volkswagen Emissions Scandal on Al Jazeera America
Matt Kaiser Interviewed by Associated Press about General Motors Criminal Plea Agreement
Matt Kaiser and Christopher Muha Author an Amicus Brief for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Matt Kaiser and Justin Dillon Featured in The Torch, FIRE’s Legal Newsletter
Latest Legal Analysis of McDonnell Corruption Trial by Matt Kaiser on WUSA9
Matt Kaiser
Partner
[email protected] | P (202) 640-2850
What Not to Do If You Are Involved in a Federal Criminal Investigation – Matt Kaiser
PlayHow Does Immunity Work in a Federal Criminal Case? – Matt Kaiser
PlayDo I Have to Talk to a Federal Grand Jury? – Matt Kaiser
PlayTargets, Subjects, and Witnesses in Federal Investigations – Matt Kaiser
PlayCan I Get Out of Jail While My Federal Criminal Appeal is Pending? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWhat Is Necessary for an Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claim? – Matt Kaiser
PlayDo You Need a Lawyer if You were Served a Federal Grand Jury Subpoena? – Matt Kaiser
PlayHow Long Does a Federal Criminal Appeal Take? – Matt Kaiser
PlayShould You Talk to Federal Law Enforcement? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWhat Are the Ways You Can Challenge a Federal Criminal Conviction? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWhat Issues Can You Raise in a Federal Criminal Appeal? – Matt Kaiser
PlayHow Does Federal Sentencing Work? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWhat Happens in an Appeal in a Federal Criminal Case? – Matt Kaiser
PlayHow Do the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Work For Fraud Cases? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWhat Happens Before A Sentence Is Imposed In Federal Court? – Matt Kaiser
PlayCan You Overturn a Guilty Verdict in a Federal Criminal Appeal? – Matt Kaiser
PlayHow Does Cooperating with Federal Law Enforcement Work? – Matt Kaiser
PlayHow Do Federal Conspiracy Charges Work? – Matt Kaiser
PlayI Entered a Guilty Plea in a Federal Criminal Case. Can I Withdraw my Plea? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWhat Should You Do If You’ve Been Convicted of a Federal Crime – Matt Kaiser
PlayAdvice for People Facing Federal Criminal Charges – Matt Kaiser
PlayIf I’m Charged with a Federal Crime, Should I Plead or Go to Trial? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWill hiring a lawyer make me look guilty? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWhat Happens in a Federal Grand Jury? – Matt Kaiser
PlayHow Do Federal Sentencing Guidelines Work? – Matt Kaiser
PlayShould I sue my lawyer? – Matt Kaiser
PlayIf I’m being threatened with a lawsuit by someone in my life and it would be embarrassing, do I really need a lawyer? – Matt Kaiser
PlayIf I’m under investigation by the government, how long will it take? – Matt Kaiser
PlayI think the firm I want to sue would rather settle than go public. Am I right? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWhat should I do while I’m under investigation? – Matt Kaiser
PlayCan I just explain what happened to the grand jury? – Matt Kaiser
PlayCan I travel while I’m under investigation by the federal government? – Matt Kaiser
PlayWill the fear of bad publicity pressure the other side to settle right away? – Matt Kaiser
PlayMatt Kaiser
Partner
[email protected] | P (202) 640-2850
Some of the matters that Mr. Kaiser has handled include:
- Represented a key witness in the Special Counsel’s prosecution of Paul Manafort.
- Sued the Georgia Secretary of State for violating the voting rights of Georgians.
- Represented numerous high net worth people in discrete resolutions of varied kinds of alleged wrongdoing.
- Represented attorneys in negotiations and litigation about law firm departures.
- Represented lawyers and clients in fee disputes and legal malpractice litigation.
- Represented a Congressional employee in connection with an investigation by the SEC and DOJ into possible insider trading charges on political intelligence.
- Represented government officials in the executive and legislative branches in connection with investigations of potential. wrongdoing by the Department of Justice, Inspector General Offices, and congressional committees.
- Represented a number of people in federal courts in connection with allegations of securities, commodities, tax, government contracting, bankruptcy, and health care fraud.
- Served as an expert witness multiple times on varied issues of professional responsibility.
