Matthew Harris

Associate

Location
Houston
Phone number
(713) 355-5036

Matthew Harris focuses his practice on commercial and environmental litigation. Matthew represents governmental entities and companies in significant environmental, energy, land use, and business-related disputes. 

Matthew’s commercial litigation experience extends to a variety of industries and disputes. He has represented private landowners, ports, a national home developer, a large television manufacturer, and an aggregate supply company. His representation has involved land use, easement rights, and other property related issues. Additionally, he has handled contract disputes and consumer protection matters.

Matthew’s environmental practice includes serving as counsel to states pursuing natural resource damage claims under CERCLA, state statutes, and common law tort, such as nuisance, negligence, and trespass. He has particular experience with litigation involving pollution from industrial sites due to emerging contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Prior to joining Kelley Drye, Matthew served as a judicial intern for U.S. District Judge David Hittner, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas and The Honorable Julie Kocurek, 390th Judicial District Court in Austin, Texas. He also served as an intern for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and was a student teacher for Property Law at the University of Houston Law Center. 

Representing the State of Texas in litigation against 3M and DuPont for claims under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

Representing the State of Maryland in litigation against W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. over the company’s decades-long discharges of a perfluorinated chemical (PFOA) from several manufacturing facilities in Cecil County, Maryland. The State asserts common law claims as well as claims pursuant to state statutes, CERCLA, and RCRA, and seeks to recover past and future costs to investigate, remediate, and restore the State’s natural resources, as well as damages, restitution, and other equitable relief.

Representing Port of Texas City in several land use and property disputes.

Serving on a team representing the State of North Carolina in an action related to PFAS contamination from an industrial facility located in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Represented Tex-Mix and its affiliates in several actions related to contract claims.

Represented a large TV manufacturer in a consumer protection matter brought by the Texas Attorney General’s Office.