Matthew Justin Vance

My husband and I  have been working with Matt for about 8 months now.  We hired him to help us get a benefit adjusted for an age requirement for IVF.  Matt is very knowledgeable in this field.  He has gone the extra step to insure all of our documentation has been submitted correctly and in a timely ...fashion.  He is very quick to respond to our questions and concerns within 24 hours.  He has made numerous calls on our behalf and has given us hope to someday have a family.  Every time I speak to Matt he is upbeat and optimistic.  He is has been our rock in the fight for our IVF benefits.  His commitment to our success is shown every time he picks up the phone.  His positive outlook and his integrity is expressed in his comments and demeanor.  He always has a kind word to say and his compliments keep us going.  We are so glad that he is fighting for us.  We take the next big step in January and we (Matt, my husband and I) are all crossing our fingers, toes, eyes, arms and legs for a positive outcome. It has been a long, difficult and fierce battle but sometimes you may not win the little battles but end up winning the war.  Matt is our legal soldier fighting for our rights and our benefits.  Prayers for a victory.

In January, 2016, I contacted my former employer to request forms to initiate my benefits through their Executive Retirement Plan, a “Top Hat Plan” providing deferred compensation for a select group of management/highly compensated employees. Instead of following the official claims procedure, my for...mer employer declared that a separate settlement agreement that I had signed at the time of my leaving the company, in which I agreed not to make future claims against the company effectively made my claim for the pre-existing benefits null and void. Upon contacting the law firm that negotiated the settlement agreement they advised me that the issues involved with this particular ERISA governed plan were beyond their area of expertise. They sought out recommendations for the best lawyer to handle my situation. The lawyer they felt was the best was Matthew Vance. Thank goodness they found Matt Vance. Mr. Vance exhibited the highest degree of professionalism. He was forthright from the very start in explaining the challenges of handling ERISA governed plans and was most realistic in laying out my odds of winning a case, should it end up in court. Matt was extremely thorough in researching the background facts of the case. He tirelessly examined all of the documentation that I had and communications that I had received from my former employer. We had several conversations in which he asked probing questions to fully establish the pertinent facts, both those which supported my claim and those which potentially could be liabilities. He has been a pleasure to work with because: 1) he listens; 2) he explains, without using legal mumbo-jumbo; 3) he considers challenges to his thinking; and 4) he has treated me as a partner in this effort, listening to my suggestions and incorporating my points of view in his work product. (I went to Dartmouth and got my MBA from the Tuck School, and, obviously, that doesn’t mean I have legal expertise. But to be listened to was gratifying.) Matt Vance handled the filing of my Executive Retirement Plan claims forms. He wrote a blisteringly precise letter explaining why the position taken by the Plan Administrator denying my claim because of the settlement agreement had no legal merit. This was not a “you think this, but we think that” argument. The entire basis for the refutation of the employer’s position was based in case law, ERISA regulations and the rules of the employer program itself. Six pages of brilliant exposition. Again, I’m just a lay person, but I think I know a smart and cogent argument when I read it. My employer backed down completely. They accepted my claim. Thanks to Matt Vance, I can now look forward to receiving retirement benefits for the rest of my life. If you want someone who is talented, who is upfront and honest, who explores all the details, who argues the facts and the law, who is one helluva nice guy, I can recommend Matt Vance most highly. He is that good.

We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to Matt Vance for his work and dedication in securing a highly satisfying resolution to our recent labor pension case. Matt’s hard work and determination throughout the process validated the recommendation we received. As stated in our previous review we wo...uld highly recommend Matt without hesitation. We strongly feel that without Matt in our corner the outcome could have much different. Thank you again Matt for winning our case. Sincerely Lucille and Michael