I belong to a family firm that has been in business since 1974. I have been a partner with Faulkner Law Offices since 2001. I have exceptional experience in personal injury litigation and trial practice including: products liability, brain injury cases, medical device class actions and other significant cases. I have changed the law concerning premises liability on the appellate court level.
I was born in 1969 in Bakersfield, California. I received my undergraduate degree at the University of Santa Barbara and Juris Doctorate degree at Golden Gate University of Law in San Francisco. While living in San Francisco before beginning law school, I worked on the cutting edge of computer technology during the heyday of its expansion into all areas of industry. I have extensive experience in information technology, web design, desktop publishing and digital trial presentation. I am a certified trainer for the trial presenation software Trial Director. I have used my technical ability in law since being a lawyer in my own practice. I often advise other lawyers in the implementation and use of office management software and trial presentation technology.
I am very active in the legal community and work with cooperatively with other lawyers to constantly improve my trial advocacy. I am committed to public service in our community. I am on the Board of Directors for our local County Bar Association and I serve the community in many organizations local and statewide. I am involved in the arts community and sit on the Board of Directors of the Arts Council of Kern.
Our firm comprises my father, James L. Faulkner, my mother, Kathleen Ellis Faulkner, and me. I have been steeped in the tradition of law since I worked with my family at 14. By age 18, I was an investigator for our personal injury cases. My father likes to joke that my first day in Law School was when I went with him as a four year old. Being part of a family business is being supportive of your family as you work together.
I remember as far back as when I was six years old watching my dad in trial. One time I was very tired after school when my grandmother took me to see my dad give a closing argument in one of his cases. I dozed off and fell out of my chair, at which point my dad told the jury, "well my son fell asleep, I guess my argument should end here."
What sets our firm apart is that we think of our firm as more than just a business. We think about our clients as members of our family. We deeply care about building personal relationships with our clients that last a lot longer than their case. Our clients are our partners and our friends. We try one case at a time and give it all we have for each of our clients. To some firms, a client is just another case. To us, we know that our client's case means everything to them. Justice is done one person and one case at a time.
Practice areas
21 years
21 years
Our firm has handled over a thousand personal injury cases since 1975. I personally have handled several hundred cases in my career. This does not include the hundreds of cases I have worked on in our family firm as an investigator since I was 18 years old.
21 years
21 years
21 years
Languages spoken
English
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
CA | Active | 2001 | 02/07/2022 |
Legal answers | 8 |
Legal guides | 0 |
Award name | Grantor | Date Granted |
---|---|---|
Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition | United States Congress | 2014 |
Member | Million Dollar Advocates Forum | 2014 |
Commendation for Service to the Community | California State Senate | 2014 |
Certificate of Recognition | California State Assembly | 2014 |
Certified Trainer | inData Trial Director Software | 2008 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Partner | Faulkner Law Offices | 2001 - Present |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
The Arts Council of Kern County | Board of Directors | 2014 - Present |
Bakersfield Burrito Project - Feeding the Homeless | Board of Directors | 2014 - Present |
Jerry Spence Trial Lawyers College | Member | 2013 - Present |
Kern County Bar Association | Board of Directors | 2012 - Present |
Consumer Attorneys of California | Board of Governors | 2012 - Present |
California Brain Injury Association | Member | 2009 - Present |
Million Dollar Advocates Forum | Member | 2005 - Present |
American Bar Association | Member | 2001 - Present |
American Association for Justice | Member | 2001 - Present |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
Golden Gate University School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 2001 |
University of California Santa Barbara | Art Studio | 1994 |
Case name | Outcome |
---|---|
George Sweat v. Big Time Auto | Sent back to Trial Court and Settled |
Posted by Mark
June 24, 2016
Posted by Car Accident Client
February 11, 2016
Posted by DavidO'Neil
March 8, 2015
Posted by Nick
October 23, 2014
Posted by Jill
August 26, 2014
Posted by Bryce
July 7, 2014
Posted by Jason
June 30, 2014
Posted by anonymous
June 19, 2014
Posted by anonymous
February 29, 2012
Posted by Chris and Lisa
March 30, 2011
Robert Brumfield, Personal injury Attorney on Jun 28, 2017
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer. Matt does a wonderful job for his clients and is highly recommended.
Ali Ebrahimzadeh, Unknown Attorney on Jan 25, 2017
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Robert Brumfield, Personal injury Attorney on Jun 28, 2017
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer. Matt does a wonderful job for his clients and is highly recommended.
Ali Ebrahimzadeh, Unknown Attorney on Jan 25, 2017
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington, Criminal defense Attorney on Oct 13, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
John-Paul Serrao, Brain injury Attorney on Sep 29, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
A brilliant attorney, and highly respected in the legal community. Can definitely endorse and recommend without reservation.
Joseph Torri, Unknown Attorney on Sep 24, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Timothy Osborn, Unknown Attorney on Aug 6, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Faulkner is an excellent personal injury attorney with a strong reputation in the community.
Hartley Beaver, Personal injury Attorney on Jun 28, 2014
Relationship: Worked together on matter
Matt is a lawyer who truly cares about his clients. Many attorneys are nice to a client when first signing up, and then fail to return phone calls, or seem "too busy" to spend even 5 minutes on the phone for an update. Not Matt. He returns your call promptly, always making himself accessible by clients. An exceptional blend of competence, courage and candor, he tells you the truth about your case and does not exaggerate. You always know what's happening--issues large and small which you need to know. He has a terrific sense of humor - so needed in our profession. His laugh is contagious. Matt is someone you just want to give a great big hug to, and when you do, all at once there is this feeling of security, of being in the right place, with, not simply the right lawyer, but a true friend. Our profession needs more lawyers like him, lawyers dedicated to helping, to placing the client's interests first. It is with great pleasure that I recommend him.
Michael Waddington, Personal injury Attorney on May 29, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse Matthew. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community.
James Sullivan, Personal injury Attorney on Jan 28, 2014
Relationship: Worked together on matter
Having worked with Matthew at Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College, I fully endorse him. Matthew has the courage to challenge the power structure and the experience to get good results for his clients. He really cares about his clients as people.
Steven Karcher, Unknown Attorney on Jun 10, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Kathleen Faulkner, Brain injury Attorney on Jun 1, 2013
Relationship: Family member
I endorse this lawyer.
Dustin Dodgin, Personal injury Attorney on Jan 24, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
Bobby Cloud, Brain injury Attorney on Oct 3, 2011
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Mr. Faulkner is a knowledgeable and courteous lawyer. I have found his advise in my cases to be an incredible help and would, if the situation came, want him to represent me personally. He is a professional and competent attorney.