Matthew J Steven

Matthew J Steven

5.0
Rating: 7.6

Licensed for 7 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Portland, OR
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Civil Rights

1050 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR

About Matthew

Biography

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 50%

Trial practice with a focus on drug, property, and white collar crimes.

8 years | 517 cases

50%
Personal Injury 35%

Specializing in defamation and related claims.

4 years | 8 cases

35%
Civil Rights 15%

Prosecuting civil rights matters involving jails and prisons, schools, and other governmental bodies.

7 years | 12 cases

15%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 290-360 per hour


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Oregon for 7 years

State: Oregon

Acquired: 2018

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Steven Law Firm

1050 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR, 97204

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Matthew J Steven's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

10 Client Reviews

5 star (10)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (0)

Posted by anonymous | January 30, 2026 | Consulted Attorney

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Positive consultation experience

I scheduled a consultation with Steven Law after I received what appeared to be a frivolous cease and desist order from someone who didn't like my opinion on a blog. Sara was friendly and was able to get me scheduled to speak with an attorney there within a day or two. Matthew J. Steven was very poli...te & helpful. The consultation was informative and reassuring, reinforcing my belief that my expression of free speech and opinion shared on my blog did not put me at significant risk for any liability.

Posted by Laura | November 11, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Swift, professional, easy to talk to.

I hired Matthew J. Steven to review portions of my upcoming memoir, and I'm so glad I did. His office returned my general inquiry email right away and turned over his notes from my sample within a few short weeks. He's friendly, compassionate, and very helpful. He pointed out potential issues for me ...that I never would have thought of had I not reached out to him. He's good at highlighting one's blind spots that could potentially lead to problems later on down the road. I'd absolutely hire him again. His rates are also fair and affordable.

Posted by anonymous | September 24, 2025 | Consulted Attorney

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Thank you to Mr. Steven and their office!

Mr. Steven handled my case when I was arrested and was charged with four trumped-up felony charges. They helped me center and ground myself during the process, and after prompt submission of motions, the felony charges were dismissed by the next time I was in court. Mr. Steven subsequently was able ...to get my misdemeanor charges reduced by making a deal, in which the prosecutor claimed that it was a "special circumstance" of reduction that only happened because Mr. Steven was so on-the-ball with their proposals. Throughout, Mr. Steven carried a friendly personality that helped aid the process. Thank you to Mr. Steven and their office!

Posted by Justin | September 1, 2025 | Consulted Attorney

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Would recommend

Mr. Steven was an excellent resource. Though we just consulted for now, he will be our choice if that is necessary moving forward. Knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and understanding of our situation.

Posted by anonymous | August 28, 2025 | Consulted Attorney

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Helpful, professional, and informative

Easy to communicate with office staff and Steven. He was very informative and helpful navigating our options.

See All Client Reviews

Matthew J Steven's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Matthew
Stephanie Damon-Moore headshot
Stephanie Damon-Moore

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 02

Relationship: Co-worker

"I worked with Matt for 3.5 years and was consistently impressed with his legal knowledge, ability to spot winning issues, and creative arguments. Matt goes the extra mile for his clients and gets great results."

View All Endorsements
Stephanie Damon-Moore headshot
Stephanie Damon-Moore

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.6 (Very Good)

Honors

2017

Honors Externship, Lewis & Clark Law School

Work Experience

2023 - Present

Managing Attorney, Steven Law Firm

2020 - 2023

Attorney, Metropolitan Public Defenders, Inc.

2018 - 2020

Attorney, Youth, Rights & Justice, Attorneys at Law

2017 - 2018

CLS, Metropolitan Public Defenders, Inc.

2016 - 2017

Judicial Extern, United States Courts

2015 - 2016

Student Law Clerk, Federal Public Defender

2014 - 2015

Student Intern, Oregon Innocence Project

Associations

2019 - Present

United States District Court for the District of Oregon

Member

2018 - Present

American Bar Association

Member

2018 - Present

Oregon State Bar

Member

2018 - Present

Multnomah Bar Association

Member

2015 - Present

National Lawyer's Guild

Treasurer, Member

Sample of Legal Cases

State v. Nichols

Acquitted on all counts.

State v. Scruggs

Acquittal of felony

State v. Melendez

Dismissed

State v. Salazar

Dismissed

State v. Schwartz

Acquitted on all counts.

State v. Nordstrom

Acquitted on all counts.

See More Legal Cases

Education

2025

Harvard Law School

Mediation and Conflict Management (Certificate)

2018

Lewis & Clark Law School

Juris Doctor

2009

Iowa State University

BLS, Magna Cum Laude

Speaking Engagements

2022

MPD Attorney Training

The Law of Restitution

2021

MPD New Attorney and Law Student Traiing

The Law of Restitution

Publications

Languages

English

French

Avvo Rating

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What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution