PRACTICE AREAS
Community Association < Construction Defects/Contracts <Construction Injuries <Elder Abuse <General Civil Litigation <Employment Law <Real Estate <Environmental Law <Personal Injury/Wrongful Death <
Matthew T. Poelstra, Esq.
Matthew T. Poelstra is an attorney with Green Bryant & French, LLP. His practice focuses on representing individual and business clients in all aspects of civil litigation, including environmental and toxic tort litigation, bad faith insurance claims, multi-party construction defect and real estate litigation, homeowners association litigation, golf-club disputes, tribal claims, contract disputes, government tort claims, traumatic brain injury and personal injury claims, among others. He also has experience representing defrauded investors in complex, multi-party securities fraud litigation. He has successfully resolved cases for clients through jury trial, mediation and arbitration. Mr. Poelstra is admitted to practice before all courts in the State of California and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. His memberships include the American Inns of Court – Warren Slaughter/Richard Roemer Chapter, the Riverside County Bar Association, the Desert Bar Association, Phi Beta Kappa Society, and the Golden Key National Honor Society.
In 2010, Mr. Poelstra successfully completed a three-week jury trial and obtained a verdict totaling over $568,000.00 for his clients. Mr. Poelstra represented a family of four tenants against multiple landlords and property managers who failed to provide a habitable residence. The subject building was not permitted for residential dwelling and allowed chronic water intrusion into the interior living spaces, causing mold contamination, rodent and insect infestations, and other substandard conditions. As a result of the substandard conditions, the tenants became sick and their personal property was water and mold damaged. The defendants’ best combined settlement offer was $165,000.00 during trial.
Mr. Poelstra graduated cum laude from the University of California, San Diego in 2001, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Study of Religion, with minors in Political Science and Pan American Studies. Also in 2001, he graduated from the University of San Diego, ABA Paralegal Program, with honors in General Litigation. In 2004, Mr. Poelstra earned his Juris Doctor degree, graduating cum laude from California Western School of Law in San Diego, California.
Mr. Poelstra is an instructor at the University of San Diego, Paralegal Program, where he has been teaching an introductory legal writing and studies course since 2004. He also speaks fluent Spanish.
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