Matthew Kutcher

A seasoned commercial litigator and former federal prosecutor, Matthew has significant experience handling complex cases and investigations, both criminal and civil, for clients in all industries and sectors. As a prosecutor, he was deputy chief of the General Crimes Section with the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, where he investigated, prosecuted and supervised prosecutions of wire, securities and healthcare fraud, public corruption, guns, narcotics, and human trafficking. Matthew also has 20 years of experience representing companies, accounting firms, investment banks, universities, creditors’ committees, officers, directors and executives in civil litigation as well as white-collar and administrative proceedings before the US Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), state attorneys general, and other agencies.

Matthew is Chambers-ranked for white-collar crime and government investigations litigation. He combines his experience as an assistant US attorney and civil litigator to effectively navigate clients through complex investigations and criminal and civil actions brought in state and federal courts and in arbitration. He has served as lead attorney in contractual and commercial disputes, antitrust cases, consumer and securities class actions, healthcare fraud investigations, financial services matters, administrative disputes, and cases involving educational institutions. He has a known track record of resolving high-stakes issues for clients at the investigative stage, often before proceedings are initiated, but is always ready to take a case to trial.

Representative experience: 

• Secured complete dismissal of two consumer class actions brought against a social media company in the Northern District of Illinois
• Representing a leading pool manufacturer in consumer class actions in the Northern District of Illinois
• Represented a Midwest-based insurtech company in an internal investigation and litigation stemming from fraud of the company’s chief marketing officer
• Secured dismissal of multiple university defendants in antitrust lawsuits related to financial aid practices
• Representing a leading internet mortgage company in an antitrust lawsuit related to the use of pricing software
• Represented multiple entities and other clients in insider trading investigations and prosecutions in the Northern District of Illinois
• Defended multiple entities and other clients in a securities fraud class action lawsuit involving a life sciences startup company
• Represented a creditors’ committees in bankruptcy action related to asbestos tort claims stemming from Johnson & Johnson baby powder
• Representing a creditors’ committee in bankruptcy action related to asbestos tort claims stemming from Whittaker, Clark & Daniels talc production
• Represented a university in an investigation by the US Department of Homeland Security related to international student visas
• Representing a professional school accreditor in responding to government actions related to its policies and practices, as well as antitrust allegations
• Defended a multinational corporation in multiple investigations alleging corruption, trade sanctions and environmental violations*
• Defended a global equipment manufacturer in an investigation claiming possible FCPA violations*
• Represented a pharmaceutical company in an internal investigation regarding potential whistleblower claims*
• Represented a leading energy company regarding FCPA and trade sanctions implications of an acquisition of a foreign company*
• Represented a Hong Kong-based gaming company and an individual director in a shareholder dispute brought by US investors*
• Defended a Chinese company in a securities class action involving the distribution of a popular video game in China*
• Represented global accounting firm partners in proceedings brought by the SEC involving auditor independence and complex derivative accounting*
• Defended a manufacturer in a securities class action related to the company’s restatement of financials*
• Represented a financial institution against securities claims resulting from the bankruptcy of a global energy company*

* Representation handled before joining Cooley