First Admitted: 1999, California

Professional Webpage: https://www.minyardmorris.com/lawyers/matthew-s-buttacavoli

Bar/Professional Activity:

Served on the Public Law Center of Orange County's Volunteers for Justice Dinner Committee and its Silent Auction Committee and served as the Silent Auction Committee’s co-chair
Member of the Federalist Society
Ambassador Member of the National Italian-American Foundation
Founding Fellow of the Society of Fellows of the Orange County Bar Foundation
Member, Resolutions Committee, Orange County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association, Board of Director's Appointment Committee
Former President and Current Board Member of The Italian-American Lawyers of Orange County (Lex Romana)
Member, Family Law Section, Orange County Bar Association
State Bar of California
Member, Association of Certified Family Law Specialists
Member, Board of Directors, Veterans Legal Institute
Southern Districts of California
United States District Court for the Central
United States Supreme Court Bar
President, Orange County Chapter of USD School of Law Alumni
Member of Board of Directors, Constitutional Rights Foundation-Orange County
President/Board Member of the Italian American Lawyers of Orange County
Founding Fellow of the Society of Fellows of the Orange County Bar Foundation
Member of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists
Served on Orange County Bar Association Board of Directors Appointment Committee

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

Received a sanctions award of approximately $100,000 after prevailing on opposing party's attempt to set aside a judgment following a multiple day evidentiary hearing., 2019
Prevailed during the trial on the contested issue of the character of an expensive jewellery item, overcoming the presumption of a gift by demonstrating to the court that the value of the item was substantial taking into account the circumstances of the marriage and, because my client also prevailed on tracing the source of the funds to purchase the item as my client's sole and separate property, the jewelry item was awarded to my client as separate property., 2019
Successfully and cooperatively worked with opposing counsel to resolve a contested case involving complex issues, including the disposition of various interrelated business entities, where the business owner desired to continue to co-own the businesses with my client or to sell the business and where my client instead desired the business valued and awarded to the business owner, 2019
Prevailed after a multiple-day trial on nearly all contested issues of property division and support and successfully argued at the subsequent attorneys' fees hearing and request for sanctions that the other side violated Family Code Section 271 for failing to engage in meaningful settlement negotiations and for other conduct, resulting in a denial of the other side's requested fee award and further resulting in opposing party paying one hundred percent of their attorneys' fees and expert costs for the entire case out of their share of assets without contribution from my client who was the significantly higher earner, 2018

Special Licenses/Certifications:

Certified Family Law Specialist (California Board of Legal Specialization)
Admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar

Pro bono/Community Service:

Alumnus of the Family Law Advanced Business Valuation Institute
Alumnus of the Family Law Trial Institute, a nationally preeminent program which for more than twenty years has provided advanced education, training and instruction in trial practice
Board of Directors, American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Region 85

Honors/Awards:

Recognized as a “Superhero of Tustin” by the Tustin Community Foundation for his work as a Director on the Board of Directors of Veteran’s Legal Institute, which provides pro bono legal services for veterans (April 2018)
Certified Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for legal services by the State Bar of California Board of Trustees in recognition for his voluntary provision of legal services to the poor or disadvantaged, improving the law and the legal system and increasing access to justice - Nominated by the Public Law Center of Orange County's Board of Directors
Named to National Top One Percent by National Association of Distinguished Counsel
Rated a 10 out of 10 on AVVO.com
Recipient of AVVO.com's Client Choice Award Orange County Family Law (2017 & 2014)
General George W. Hickman, Jr. Award for excellence in Constitutional Law

Educational Background:

University of San Diego School of Law (J.D.) - cum laude, 1999
University of California, Irvine (B.A.) - magna cum laude, 1995

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

From Consult to Trial - Demystifying the Preservation, Collection and Presentation of ESI in Family Law: Co-sponsored by the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists and Levitt & Quinn Public Law Center, December 2015 Guest speaker for the Litigation Section of the Orange County Paralegal Association “Must Post-Termination Procedural Due Process Include a Full, Trial-Like Evidentiary Hearing? A Critique of Townsel v. San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board,” San Diego Law Review, Vol. 36, No. 4

Matthew S. Buttacavoli