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Sarelson Law Firm is a dynamic and aggressive trial firm dedicated to protecting individual rights. We represent executives, employees, consumers and investors in state and federal court and we take great pride in fighting against those who prefer profits to people. If you believe you’ve been wronged, contact the Sarelson Law Firm and together we’ll take the first step to making things right.
About Attorney Matthew Seth Sarelson
Matthew is an aggressive litigator with a passion for representing and building long-term relationships with individuals and small business owners. Born and raised in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York but educated in Virginia and Washington, D.C., Matthew seemlessly combines New York street smarts with southern charm and diplomacy. Following graduation from law school, Matthew relocated to Miami, Florida to take advantage of the area’s international lifestyle and entrepreneurial business environment.
Before forming Sarelson Law Firm, P.A., Matthew was a litigator, primarily in the area of employment litigation, at the international law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP. While at Morgan Lewis, Matthew defended Fortune 250 companies in employment and wrongful death lawsuits. And while at Morgan Lewis, the firm was declared Litigation Firm of the Year by the American Lawyer magazine. Matthew also worked for well-known Miami litigation firm Isicoff, Ragatz & Koenigsberg, P.L.
By forming Sarelson Law Firm, P.A. in January 2007, Matthew brought that same high-quality lawyering that he brought to America’s top companies to individuals and business owners here in Florida. Following law school, but prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Matthew was a law clerk to the Honorable Frank A. Shepherd, a judge on Florida’s Court of Appeals, Third District. As a law clerk, Matthew developed a unique insight into the judicial process and a broad array of knowledge into Florida law.
Matthew was selected by his peers as a Florida Trend Magazine Legal Elite Up and Comer for 2008 and 2009 – an honor bestowed on the top 150 attorneys under age 40 (out of 90,000). He was also selected as a top “Up and Comer” by Florida SuperLawyers in 2009 and 2010 and a top “Up and Comer” by South Florida Legal Guide 2009. In May 2008, at age 30, Matthew’s nationwide leadership in “FACTA” class action lawsuits earned him a cover story, with picture, on LawyersUSA weekly newspaper.
Matthew has been interviewed by the Miami Herald, the Miami New Times, the Daily Business Review, the South Florida Business Journal, Bloomberg, the Washington Times and the Jim DeFede radio show and numerous other papers throughout Florida for his representation of employees in high-stakes and groundbreaking employment lawsuits.
Matthew has travelled extensively throughout China, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia. He is a strong advocate for international trade and development and believes that Miami should and will play a central role in international affairs and growth. Despite his international travel and best intentions, he speaks only English!
In addition to practicing law, Matthew is very active in Miami Beach politics and served on the City of Miami Beach’s Community Development Advisory Board. He is an advisor to several local politicians and candidates. He also serves on the board of directors of Yupro, Inc., d/b/a The Oasis Group, a non-profit company that supports and promotes entrepreneurship and community involvement for 20 and 30 year olds. Matthew served on the Board of Directors of the Young Presidents’ Club at Mt. Sinai Medical Center Foundation on Miami Beach. Most recently, Matthew has become very active in ORT America – the American arm of Worldwide ORT. Matthew served as co-chair of the 2009 Jurisprudence Reception honoring Eleventh Circuit Judge Stanley Marcus, U.S. District Court Judge Ursula Ungaro and U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurel Isicoff. He is currently co-chairing and organizing the 2010 event.
Matthew is admitted to The Florida Bar and the Federal District Court for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. He is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Federal Bar Association, and the National Employment Lawyers Association. He is also a member of The Florida Bar Grievance Committee 11F.
Matthew received his undergraduate degree in Economics from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He began graduate work in American history, with a focus on economic and diplomatic history, at James Madison as well. Matthew graduated from the George Mason University School of Law, cum laude, in Arlington, Virginia. While in law school, Matthew was Executive Editor of the George Mason Law Review, was the Lt. Governor of Diversity for the American Bar Association’s Young Leadership Division, was the President of the Jewish Law Students Association, and received a Leroy S. Bendheim Fellowship for Outstanding Background in Economics.
Significant Past Matters and Reported Opinions
S.R. v. United States (Case No. 07-20648, S.D. Florida) – Sarelson Law Firm was lead counsel for a federal inmate who was routinely raped by federal correctional officers despite the Bureau of Prisons and United States Attorneys’ Offices knowledge of the misconduct. The case was heavily covered by the Miami Herald and the Miami New Times. The order denying the government’s motion for summary judgment is reported at 555 F. Supp. 2d 1350 (S.D. Fla. 2008) (Altonaga, J.) (holding that the 2-year statute of limitation in the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b) is subject to equitable tolling).
FACTA Litigation (various cases in S.D. Florida) – Sarelson Law Firm was co-lead counsel in a dozen putative class-actions alleging violation of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681(c)(g). All cases were either settled or dismissed due to a Congressional amendment to the FACTA legislation. Mr. Sarelson was lead attorney in Grabein v. 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc., where the district court correctly ruled that electronic receipts issued by online retailers are subject to the same federal laws as traditional paper receipts. The unreported decision can be found at 2008 WL 343179 (S.D. Fla. Jan. 29, 2008) (Huck, J.)
Pinder v. Bahamasair (Case No. 08-22548, S.D. Florida) – Sarelson Law Firm is lead counsel for a long-time airline employee who was fired for reporting security violations to the Transportation Security Administration. After reviewing cross-motions for summary judgment on liability, the district court entered summary judgment for the plaintiff and ruled that as a matter of law, Bahamasair terminated the plaintiff in retaliation for engaging in protected activity. The order granting plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment is reported at 661 F. Supp. 2d 1348 (S.D. Fla. 2009) (King, J.).
Anderson v. Florida Department of Corrections (Case No. 08-20018, S.D. Florida) – Sarelson Law Firm was assigned this federal civil rights action one month prior to trial. The Firm was able to take three critical depositions in a state prison just a week prior to trial. Following a two-day bench trial, Judge Huck returned a bench verdict for the plaintiff and awarded compensatory and punitive damages. The government just assumed that the plaintiff would remain pro se and that the state would be able to quickly dispose of what it perceived to be a frivolous case by an inmate. Sarelson Law Firm quickly realized that the inmate’s case was very strong and mobilized all of its resources to turn a loser case into a winner.