Matthew Preusch
Santa Barbara
801 Garden Street, Suite 301
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Matthew Preusch is a partner at Keller Rohrback and practices in its nationally-recognized Complex Litigation Group.
Matt focuses his work on cases that protect people and the environment. He has helped initiate landmark consumer litigation related to Volkswagen’s “Clean Diesel” deceit and Wells Fargo’s unauthorized account scheme. When studies of moss samples in trees in Portland, Oregon identified several pollution “hotspots” in that city, he and others at Keller Rohrback launched cases on behalf of residents that resulted in the largest environmental class action settlement in Oregon history. More recently, he served as co-lead counsel representing survivors of four utility-caused wildfires in Oregon. That case resulted in a historic, first-of-its-kind jury verdict finding a utility liable to a class for punitive damages.
Before joining Keller Rohrback, Matthew served as an honors attorney in the Oregon Department of Justice’s appellate and trial divisions. He was a judicial extern for the Hon. Michael W. Mosman in the District of Oregon during law school. Prior to his legal career, he spent 10 years as a journalist in the Pacific Northwest, covering regional and national news for The Oregonian, The New York Times and other publications.
Honors & Awards
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Plaintiffs Mass Tort Litigation / Class Action - Santa Barbara, California, 2024
Professional and Civic Involvement
Santa Barbara Bar Association, Member
Underscore Media Collaboration, Board Member
Articles & Presentations
Panelist, Bridgeport Consumer Class Action Litigation Conference, “Current State of the Law on Ascertainability and Standing," January 2017
Speaker, Bridgeport Environmental Class Action Webinar, March 2016
Panelist, Lewis and Clark Law School, Public Interest Law Project, "Cutting-Edge Bet the Company Mega Class Action CLE," February 2016
Speaker, Harris Martin Porter Ranch Gas Leak Litigation Conference, “Remedies,” 19 January 2016
Panelist, Bridgeport Consumer Class Action Litigation Conference, “Current State of the Law on Ascertainability and Standing," January 2016
Matthew Preusch, How to Ethically and Effectively Talk to Reporters, Environmental Law News, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Spring 2015).
Speaker, Don't Say, "No Comment”: How To Ethically and Effectively Talk to Reporters, Santa Barbara County Bar Association (Sep. 16, 2015)
Oregon State Bar Environmental & Natural Resources Section Case Notes (July 2015)
Matthew Preusch, Tim Weaver, Yakama Tribes' Salmon Champion, Says His Goodbyes, The Oregonian (Jan. 1, 2010).
Matthew Preusch, DEQ to Help Polluter Seek Federal Break on Mercury Emission, The Oregonian (Aug. 19, 2009).
Matthew Preusch, Amid Forests Ashes, A Debate Over Logging Profits is Burning On, The New York Times (Apr. 15, 2004).
Case Media
"PacifiCorp verdict finds utility negligent in four Labor Day wildfires; jury awards victims nearly $72 million," OregonLive.com, 6/12/2023
"Sony Attack: Studio Hit With First Class Action By Ex-Employees," Deadline, 12/16/2014.
"Suit seeks damages for all victims of alleged Wells Fargo customer abuses," Los Angeles Times, 5/13/2015.
"Bullseye Glass settlement money working its way toward neighbors who sued over air pollution," The Oregonian, 5/16/2019.
"Neighbors hope to expand Castparts pollution lawsuit," Portland Tribune, 5/23/2019.
"Earnin Flouts Lending Laws With 'Linguistic Trick,' Suit Says," Law360, 11/18/2019.
"Portland Is Getting 6 New Air Pollution Testing Stations Near Bullseye Glass," Oregon Public Broadcasting, 2/11/2020.
"PacifiCorp faces class action lawsuit for downed power lines that allegedly ignited devastating Oregon wildfires," The Oregonian, 10/01/2020.
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