January 15, 2013 | Attorney Matthew Schaap Honored as Top 40 under 40 Litigation Lawyer
Matthew Schaap was selected by the American Society of Legal Advocates as one of the top 40 under 40 Litigation lawyers in the State of Minnesota for 2013. According to ASLA, the selection was the culmination of a six-month process in which ASLA independently researched information on tens of thousands of lawyers and, in filling each Top 40 category, ultimately selected fewer than 2% of lawyers overall.
About Matthew Schaap
Matthew joined Dougherty Molenda in 2004 after completing his judicial clerkship. At Dougherty Molenda, Matthew focuses on litigation and trial practice. Matthew’s primary goal in any litigation is to serve as a zealous advocate for his clients by thoroughly researching all issues (both legal and technical) that are important to presenting the case in court. However, Matthew also focuses on helping clients to understand the legal process so that they can actively participate in the case and make informed decisions about its resolution. To accomplish this goal, Matthew has developed a variety of practical guides to assist clients in understanding critical aspects of the legal process, such as discovery. Like all litigation attorneys at Dougherty Molenda, Matthew provides his clients with early case analysis designed to 1) evaluate the risks of litigation and 2) develop successful trial strategies that maximize the likelihood of favorable trial or settlement outcomes.
At times, litigation involves an appeal to a higher court. During law school, Matthew’s appellate brief was selected by the Legal Writing Department faculty as the “Best Appellate Brief in the First Year Law School Class.” As an attorney, Matthew has continued his commitment to excellence in legal writing: He has authored or co-written numerous appellate briefs that led to affirmance of favorable outcomes for clients. Matthew has also presented oral arguments in appeals before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals (Washington, D.C.), receiving favorable decisions of affirmance from both courts.
In addition to his civil jury trial and appellate experience, Matthew has successfully represented the firm’s clients at numerous mediations, arbitrations, court trials and motion hearings. He has been recognized in Minnesota Law and Politics as a top young attorney and was named to the MinnesotaRising Stars® List in 2007 – 2012.