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Matthew S. Buttacavoli

Matthew S. Buttacavoli

Best Law Firms | Ranked By Best Lawyers | Orange County | Family Law . Tier 1 2024
Rated by Super Lawyers | Matthew S. Buttacavoli | Selected in 2024 | Thomson Reuters
Avvo Rating 10.0 Matthew Steven Buttacavoli Top Attorney
State Bar Of California California Board Of Legal Specialization

Biography

Matthew S. Buttacavoli was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. Matthew graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Irvine (B.A., 1995) and cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 1999), where he served as Executive Editor of the San Diego Law Review and received the General George W. Hickman, Jr. Award for excellence in Constitutional Law. Matthew was admitted to the California Bar in 1999, and was admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar in 2003. He is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Central and Southern Districts of California. Matthew is an alumnus of the Family Law Trial Institute, a nationally preeminent program which for more than twenty years has provided advanced education, training and instruction in trial practice. Matthew is also an alumnus of the Family Law Advanced Business Valuation Institute.  Matthew has been named a Certified Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and has been named a Super Lawyer, a distinction given across the country who have reached high achievements and standards within their respective fields. 

Matthew's publications include "Must Post-Termination Procedural Due Process Include a Full, Trial-Like Evidentiary Hearing? A Critique of Townsel v. San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board," San Diego Law Review, Vol. 36, No. 4 (Fall 1999). he has also been a guest speaker for the Litigation Section of the Orange County Paralegal Association and has presented Continuing Legal Education programs to the family law community.

Matthew is a member of the Orange County Bar Association (Member, Family Law Section) and is a former board member and member of Lex Romana, The Italian-American Lawyers of Orange County. He is a longstanding Director and current Officer of the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County. Matthew is the President of the Orange County Chapter of the University of San Diego, School of Law Alumni Association.  Matthew sits on the Resolutions Committee of the Orange County Bar Association and is a Founding Fellow of the Society of Fellows of the Orange County Bar Foundation. He also served on the Orange County Public Law Center's Volunteers for Justice Dinner Committee and its Silent Auction Committee and served as the Silent Auction Committee's co-chair from 2009 to 2013. Matthew is an Ambassador Member of the National Italian-American Foundation, a member of the Federalist Society, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Region 85.

Matthew's previous legal experience includes general civil litigation, business and contract disputes, complex products liability and construction defects, real estate, title and escrow, mortgage and finance, wrongful death, torts, and appeals.

Matthew currently limits his practice to Family Law.

Education

  • University of San Diego School of Law, San Diego, California
    • J.D. - 1999
    • Honors: cum laude
  • University of California, Irvine, California
    • B.A. - 1995
    • Honors: magna cum laude

Bar Admission

  • California, 1999
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2003
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California, 2000
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 2001

Practice Areas

  • Family Law

Published Works

  • “Must Post-Termination Procedural Due Process Include a Full, Trial-Like Evidentiary Hearing? A Critique of Townsel v. San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board,” San Diego Law Review, Vol. 36, No. 4

Activities, Accolades & Honors

  • Rated a 10 out of 10 on AVVO.com Orange County Family Law
  • Recognized as a “Superhero of Tustin” by the Tustin Community Foundation for his work as a Director on the Board
  • Recipient of AVVO.com's Client Choice Award Orange County Family Law, 2014 & 2017
  • Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for legal services by the State Bar of California Board of Trustees in recognition for his voluntary provision of legal services to the poor or disadvantaged, improving the law and the legal system and increasing access to justice - Nominated by the Public Law Center of Orange County's Board of Directors
  • General George W. Hickman, Jr. Award for excellence in Constitutional Law
  • Named a SuperLawyer

Professional Associations

  • President of the Orange County Chapter of the University of San Diego School of Law Alumni Association
  • Member of the Board of Directors of the Constitutional Rights Foundation-Orange County and Co-Chair of its Law Day Committee since 2019
  • Member of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists
  • Member of the Orange County Bar Association Family Law Section
  • Former President and Current Member of The Italian-American Lawyers of Orange County (Lex Romana)
  • Served on the Orange County Bar Association's Board of Director's Appointment Committee
  • Member of the Resolutions Committee of the Orange County Bar Association
  • Founding Fellow of the Society of Fellows of the Orange County Bar Foundation
  • Ambassador Member of the National Italian-American Foundation
  • Member of the Federalist Society
  • Served on the Public Law Center of Orange County's Volunteers for Justice Dinner Committee and its Silent Auction Committee and served as the Silent Auction Committee’s co-chair
  • Served on the Board of Directors for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Region 85
  • Alumnus of the Family Law Trial Institute, a nationally preeminent program which for more than twenty years has provided advanced education, training and instruction in trial practice
  • Alumnus of the Family Law Advanced Business Valuation Institute

Classes & Seminars

  • Stipulated Judgment Drafting: Tips & Practice Pointers, May 2021, Orange County Bar Association, Family Law Section
  • From Consult to Trial - Demystifying the Preservation, Collection and Presentation of ESI in Family Law: Co-sponsored by the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists and Levitt & Quinn Public Law Center, December 2015
  • Electronically Stored Information Benefits & Burdens, October 2015, Orange County Bar Association, Family Law Section
  • Guest speaker for the Litigation Section of the Orange County Paralegal Association

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Certified Specialist in Family Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization