Matt C. Wood Partner

Matt C. Wood graduated magna cum laude with high honors from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas, where he was a Townes-Rice Scholar and Order of the Coif. While in law school, Matt was a member of the Texas Law Review and competed in the school’s moot court and mock trial competitions. Prior to law school, Matt graduated summa cum laude with highest honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, with a degree in mechanical engineering. In his junior year, he was honored as a Henry Ford II Scholar for having the best academic record in the mechanical engineering department.

Prior to joining Vela Wood, Matt worked as an associate at the international law firm Baker Botts and as a partner in the Austin based litigation firm Weisbart Springer Hayes.

At Vela Wood, Matt handles a wide array of business litigation, including disputes related to corporate control, real estate, employment matters, intellectual property, and business contracts. His clients have ranged from individuals, startups, and small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Matt also enjoys new challenges and often takes cases that don’t fit the mold of a typical business dispute, such as construction defects, agency rule challenges, and defamation.

Matt grew up in a small town in south Georgia. He moved to Texas for law school shortly after getting married. Matt and his wife live in Austin with their two children. After hours, you can probably find Matt reading a good nonfiction book about history or economics, tramping down a hiking trail, or goofing off with his kids.

Select Representations

*Some transactions reflect Matt’s work at prior firms.

• Represented startup founders in disputes with co-founders over control of companies
• Represented companies on both sides of trade-secret theft cases, including obtaining restraining orders/injunctive relief*
• Defended businesses in employment lawsuits, including wage-and-hour class actions and discrimination cases, in court and arbitration*
• Represented real estate companies in disputes over entitlements, land use, and site development*
• Represented companies in various industries in lawsuits against vendors, suppliers, service providers, and customers
• Represented companies on both sides of software licensing lawsuits*
• Represented executives in severance negotiations and related contract disputes*
• Represented statewide trade associations in lawsuits challenging licensure regulations*