Matthew is an Associate with Taylor McCaffrey LLP, focused primarily in the area of civil litigation, with an emphasis on construction and insurance litigation. He prides himself on being a strong advocate for his clients while taking a pragmatic and balanced approach to all his cases.
On the construction side, Matthew acts on behalf of owners, general contractors and subcontractors dealing with all aspects of construction disputes, including contractual disputes, builders’ liens, deficiency claims and delay claims.
Within the insurance practice, Matthew acts on behalf of insured defendants and has experience prosecuting subrogated claims on behalf of insurers. To compliment his construction and insurance practice, Matthew also has experience in expropriation law, appearing both before the Land Value Appraisal Commission and on appeal before the Manitoba Court of Appeal.
Recognitions
- Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada™ 2025 for work in Insurance Law
- University of Manitoba Gold Medal – J.D. Program (for highest overall standing in the Juris Doctor program)
- Honourable Alexander Morris Exhibition Prize (for highest overall standing in the Juris Doctor program)
- Neil James MacDonald Memorial Prize, Criminal Law (for highest standing in Criminal Law and Procedure)
- Jack Rice Memorial Prize (for highest standing in Administrative Law)
- D.A. Thompson Q.C. Prize (for highest standing in Property Law)
- D.A. Thompson Q.C. Prize (for highest standing in Tort Law)
- D.A. Thompson Q.C. Prize (for highest standing in Income Tax Law)
- D.A. Thompson Q.C. Prize (for highest mark in Trusts)
- Jane Evans Q.C. Prize (for highest combined standing in Property Law, Trusts, and Wills & Estates)
- Pitblado Scholar: 2015-2018
- Law Clerk – Manitoba Court of Appeal
Volunteer Activities
- Director – Manitoba Harm Reduction Network (2020-present)
- Director – Elmwood Community Resource Centre (2018-present)
- Legal Help Centre Volunteer – Pro Bono Students Canada (2016)
- Junior Editor – Canadian Journal of Human Rights (2015-2016)
Representative Work
Trial Advocacy
- Evanson v Fort La Bosse School Division et al., 2021 MBQB 216 – Successfully defended a teenager sued in negligence for inadvertently opening a school door into a substitute teacher.
- 3559972 Manitoba Ltd. et al. v Pethrick et al., 2022 CarswellMan 61 – Successfully defended a pelvic floor physiotherapist who had been sued for allegedly breaching a non-competition and non-solicitation clause in her employment agreement, arguing that the clauses were void and unenforceable.
Appellate Advocacy
- The Workers Compensation Board v Ali, 2020 MBCA 122 – Successfully obtained the dismissal of an action for delay in a decision that now the seminal authority on dismissals for delay pursuant to Rule 24.01 of the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Rules.
- Isaacson et al v Credential Insurance Services Inc., 2020 CarswellMan 366 – Successfully defended an appeal from a trial decision dismissing the Plaintiff’s claim for commissions relating to the renewal of insurance policies sold by the Plaintiff to clients.
- Madison Holdings Ltd. v Winnipeg (City of), 2021 CarswellMan 606 – Obtained a $500,000 reduction to an award on account of disturbance damages by the Land Value Appraisal Commission.
Contested Motions and Applications
- Lovell v Ontario (Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry), 2022 ONSC 423 – Successfully defended a motion to adduce fresh evidence in the context of an Application for Judicial Review of a decision of the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
- Lovell v Ontario (Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry), 2022 oNSC 4285 – Successfully defended an Application for Judicial Review that attempted to set aside a decision of the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry for alleged breaches of procedural fairness and an alleged lack of substantive reasonableness.
- 6165347 Manitoba Inc. et al. v The City of Winnipeg et al., 2021 MBQB 165 – Defended a motion to introduce an expert report into evidence on the basis that, among other things, the admission of the report would have constituted a fundamental unfairness given the delay in producing the report.