Matthew Chester

Matthew S. Chester, shareholder in Baker Donelson’s New Orleans office, is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Government Enforcement and Investigations Team. In his 11 years of practicing law in the private sector and at the Department of Justice, Matt has handled dozens of arguments, hearings and trials in state and federal court, achieving successful results on behalf of his clients.

Matt most recently worked at the Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in New Orleans, Louisiana. As an AUSA, Matt was a member of the Financial Fraud and Public Integrity units in the U.S. Attorney’s office and was promoted to the position of Deputy Supervisor of the Public Integrity group.

He spent most of his time as a federal prosecutor focusing on white collar crime, fraud and public/official corruption prosecutions. Matt’s experience includes multiple high-profile trials and convictions obtained against former elected and public officials.

During those years as a federal prosecutor, Matt was honored as the recipient of multiple awards, including five Excellence in Law Enforcement Awards from the New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission for his work on public corruption prosecutions in and around New Orleans, as well as awards from the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General.

Most notably, Matt was awarded the Department of Justice’s Award for Superior Performance in Litigation in 2015 for his work in connection with a high-profile public corruption prosecution in New Orleans.

Before serving as Assistant U.S. Attorney, Matt practiced at an international law firm based in Dallas, Texas, where he handled numerous matters involving federal securities, financial class actions, complex civil litigation, white collar criminal matters and corporate compliance.

In addition to practicing law, Matt teaches Negotiation and Mediation Advocacy as an adjunct faculty member at his alma mater, Tulane University Law School.

EDUCATION:

• Tulane University Law School, J.D., 2004, cum laude
• Virginia Wesleyan College, B.A., 2001, magna cum laude

ADMISSIONS:

• Louisiana
• Texas
• U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana

Representative Matters:

• Represented the former director of an international company in a price-fixing investigation.
• Represented international technology company in connection with Export Control Act investigation.
• Represented a domestic loan servicing company in connection with a failed multimillion dollar loan relating to a real estate project.
• Represented a public official in connection with allegations of public corruption.
• Assisted a publicly-traded infrastructure corporation with the multibillion dollar acquisition of an energy company.
• Represented a corporate food producer in a federal criminal investigation involving the hiring and harboring of undocumented immigrants.

Professional Honors & Activities:

• Board Member – The American Diabetes Association-Mississippi/Louisiana Chapter (2016 – 2017)
• Five-time Recipient – Metropolitan Crime Commission Excellence in Law Enforcement Award
• Recipient – DHS/FEMA Certificate of Appreciation (2011)
• Recipient – SSA-OIG Anti-Fraud Award (2010)
• Recipient – Internal Revenue Service Certificate of Appreciation (2014)
• Adjunct Professor – Tulane University Law School (2010 – present)