Matthew L. Dameron

Attorney Matt L. Dameron serves as Of Counsel at Simmons Hanly Conroy as part of the firm’s prescription opioid litigation team.

Matt earned his law and undergraduate degrees from the University of Missouri. In law school, he served as Editor in Chief of the Journal of Dispute Resolution.

Matt previously clerked for the Honorable Nanette K. Laughrey, United States District Judge for the Western District of Missouri. Before law school, Matt served as the Campaign Coordinator for Congressman Ike Skelton. He is a native of Sedalia, Missouri.

Matt is currently handling the following matters:​

• An antitrust matter on behalf of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office concerning alleged anticompetitive conduct by manufacturers of automotive component parts.
• A proposed class of investors who held warrants in a global corporation.
• A proposed class on behalf of citizens in St. Louis County who paid unlawful water ISRS fees.
• A proposed class of Missourians who were victims of a data breach against their health insurer.
• A proposed class on behalf of individuals whose alcohol and drug treatment health records were wrongfully disclosed.
• A proposed class of Nissan owners who experienced floorboard rust in their vehicles due to the vehicle’s defective design.
• Two proposed classes on behalf of Missouri consumers who paid unlawful fees for their medical health records.

In addition to his litigation work, Matt is an advisor and counsel for a variety of other ventures, including:

• An investment management company with over $100 million in assets under management;
• A mobile payment start-up company founded in Kansas City; and
• A not-for-profit association that works to enhance economic opportunities between twelve Midwest states and China.

Matt also previously was appointed to serve as a Special Prosecutor for the Prosecuting Attorney’s office in Jackson County, Missouri.​

Previous Litigation Experience

Matt previously was a partner at a well-respected litigation firm in Kansas City. During his time there, Matt worked on the lead counsel team for several class and MDL cases, including matters concerning securities litigation, wage and hour enforcement, and consumer protection cases. Matt also handled commercial litigation matters on behalf of individual clients.

Matt also previously worked as an associate at a national litigation and business services firm in Kansas City. There, Matt’s practice focused on labor and employment matters, education law and commercial litigation.

Public Sector Experience​

From 2009 to 2012, Matt served as Chief of Staff for Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster. In his capacity as Chief of Staff, Matt served on the Executive Team that managed significant litigation in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. Matt also engaged with other state attorneys general in multi-state investigations, and coordinated efforts with other state and federal authorities including the Department of Justice and the SEC.

In addition to his legal work, Matt served as General Koster’s voting designee on the Missouri Housing Development Commission, and he staffed General Koster in his capacity as a Co-Chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Associations (DAGA). Matt also had oversight responsibility for the office’s $23 million budget, the office’s legislative affairs and communications activities, and the office’s personnel policies and decisions.

Professional Involvement

Matt is active in the legal community in several respects. Matt serves on the governing boards for the following legal organizations:

• Legal Aid of Western Missouri (Treasurer; Executive Committee; Executive Director Search Committee);
• Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (Board of Governors; AAJ State Delegate); and
• Federal Court Advocates Section for the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association.

Previously Matt served on the Civil Practice Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, and he previously served on the committee responsible for formulating the Court’s ESI Principles. Matt was appointed to serve on these committees by the judges of the Western District of Missouri.

In 2018, Matt was appointed again by the Western District of Missouri to serve on the Merit Selection Panel to vet candidates for a vacant U.S. Magistrate Judge position. Matt was one of seven attorneys chosen to serve on the Panel.

Community Involvement

Matt’s community service is not limited to the legal profession. In the not-for-profit sector, Matt serves on the Executive Committee for The American Legion Boys State of Missouri and is the current Director of Missouri Boys State. He has volunteered for Boys State for over 20 years.

Matt also serves on governmental boards and commissions by appointment:

In October 2012, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon appointed Matt to serve on the Missouri Development Finance Board. The Missouri Development Finance Board administers a range of financing programs for Missouri businesses, local governments and state agencies; issues taxable or tax-exempt industrial revenue bonds or notes; and provides market rate or low-interest loans and grants to political subdivisions to fund public infrastructure improvements. In June 2016, Matt was elected to serve on the Executive Committee for the Missouri Development Finance Board, and he currently serves as the Secretary. Additionally, he is Chair of the Personnel Committee.

In early 2017, Mayor Sly James appointed Matt to serve on the City Plan Commission. The eight-member Commission conducts public hearings on applications and plans that involve development or redevelopment of property in Kansas City, Missouri, including rezoning applications, development plan approval, approved development plan amendments, subdivision of land, street and alley vacations amendments, land use and street widening plan and other applications.

Previously, in May 2013, Mayor Sly James appointed Matt to serve as co-chair of Kansas City’s Charter Review Committee. The panel was comprised of 13 residents, and it reviewed the City Charter and recommended changes to the Mayor and City Council.