“Matthew T. Martens stands among the elite trial lawyers of his generation, bringing rare, four-sided courtroom experience and exceptional clarity to the most complex securities, regulatory and white collar disputes. His ability to lead clients through high-stakes investigations and trials with precision, authority and credibility makes him a formidable advocate when outcomes truly matter.”

Fantastic Lawyers® Editorial 2026

Matthew T. Martens is a securities litigation and enforcement lawyer based in Washington DC. A Partner at WilmerHale and Co-Chair of the firm’s Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice Group, Matthew represents clients in their most serious civil, criminal and regulatory investigations and trials.

He is one of the rare lawyers to have tried cases successfully from all four perspectives: civil plaintiff, civil defendant, criminal prosecutor and criminal defense counsel. Over the course of his career, he has tried 26 cases and argued 19 appeals in federal and state courts across the United States, handling matters ranging from securities fraud and consumer fraud to patent disputes, employment claims and complex criminal prosecutions.

What Matthew Martens Does

Matthew advises public companies, financial institutions, executives and boards on securities litigation, enforcement actions and high-stakes investigations brought by the SEC, DOJ, FINRA, state attorneys general and other regulators. He regularly acts in complex civil trials, white collar defense matters, appellate litigation and Supreme Court advocacy.

His practice includes defending companies and individuals in securities fraud claims, regulatory enforcement proceedings, consumer fraud class actions, bank and financial services investigations, anti-corruption matters and large-scale commercial disputes.

Why He’s Different

Matthew is widely respected for his courtroom advocacy and his ability to explain complex legal and financial issues in clear, persuasive language. A former senior government lawyer, he brings a deep understanding of how enforcement agencies investigate, litigate and make decisions.

During his government career, he served as Chief Litigation Counsel for the SEC’s Division of Enforcement and as Chief of Staff and Counsel in the US Department of Justice Criminal Division. A former Assistant US Attorney, he supervised white collar prosecutions and general crimes as Deputy Criminal Chief.

His trial skills have been publicly praised for their clarity and effectiveness, including recognition for his ability to present complex evidence in plain English to judges and juries.

Notable Trial & Enforcement Experience

Matthew served as lead trial counsel for the SEC in the landmark securities fraud trial against former Goldman Sachs trader Fabrice Tourre, securing jury verdicts on six of seven claims involving a $1 billion collateralized debt obligation. The trial received national media coverage, with the verdict featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal.

Since entering private practice, he has continued to lead major trials, including successfully defending a global social media company in a federal patent infringement jury trial in Texas, and defeating all claims in a $180 million consumer fraud class action tried in California.

He has also led and defended numerous SEC, DOJ, CFTC, FINRA, PCAOB and CFPB investigations involving accounting practices, structured products, AML issues, whistleblower retaliation claims and cross-border compliance matters.

Recognition & Trust Signals

Matthew is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has been consistently recognised by Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star. He has been named to Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America and recognised by Securities Docket as part of its Enforcement Elite list.

Additional honours include Law360 Securities Law MVP, National Law Journal Litigation Trailblazer, AmLaw Litigator of the Week, and repeated inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for securities litigation. He is also independently rated and selected by clients as a Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer.

Background & Credentials

Matthew began his legal career clerking for Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist of the US Supreme Court and Judge David B. Sentelle of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. He holds a JD with highest honours as valedictorian, is a Certified Public Accountant, and is admitted in Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Location & Contact

Matthew T. Martens is based in Washington DC and represents clients nationwide in securities litigation, enforcement actions and complex trials.