Practice Areas: Family Law; view more
Licensed in California since: 1999
Education: University of San Diego School of Law
Details
Matthew S. Buttacavoli was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. Matthew graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Irvine (B.A., 1995) and cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 1999), where he served as Executive Editor of the San Diego Law Review and received the General George W. Hickman, Jr. Award for excellence in Constitutional Law. Matthew was admitted to the California Bar in 1999, and was admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar in 2003. He is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Central and Southern Districts of California. Matthew is an 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. Matthew is also an alumnus of the Family Law Advanced Business Valuation Institute. Matthew has been named a Certified Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and has been named a Super Lawyer, a distinction given across the country who have reached high achievements and standards within their respective fields.
Matthew's publications include "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 (Fall 1999). he has also been a guest speaker for the Litigation Section of the Orange County Paralegal Association and has presented Continuing Legal Education programs to the family law community.
Matthew is a member of the Orange County Bar Association (Member, Family Law Section) and is a former board member and member of Lex Romana, The Italian-American Lawyers of Orange County. He is a longstanding Director and current Officer of the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County. Matthew is the President of the Orange County Chapter of the University of San Diego, School of Law Alumni Association. Matthew sits on the Resolutions Committee of the Orange County Bar Association and is a Founding Fellow of the Society of Fellows of the Orange County Bar Foundation. He also served on the Orange County Public Law Center's Volunteers for Justice Dinner Committee and its Silent Auction Committee and served as the Silent Auction Committee's co-chair from 2009 to 2013. Matthew is an Ambassador Member of the National Italian-American Foundation, a member of the Federalist Society, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Region 85.
Matthew's previous legal experience includes general civil litigation, business and contract disputes, complex products liability and construction defects, real estate, title and escrow, mortgage and finance, wrongful death, torts, and appeals.
Matthew currently limits his practice to Family Law.
Practice areas
Family LawFocus areas
Alimony & Spousal Support, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Dissolution, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Marital Property, Paternity
- 100% Family Law
First Admitted: 1999, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.minyardmorris.com/lawyers/matthew-s-buttacavoli
- 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
- 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
- Certified Family Law Specialist (California Board of Legal Specialization)
- Admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar
- 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
- 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
- University of San Diego School of Law (J.D.) - cum laude, 1999
- University of California, Irvine (B.A.) - magna cum laude, 1995
- 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
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