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Philadelphia Office
1835 Market Street - Suite 1400
Philadelphia
PA 19103
215.569.4281 phone215.568.6603 faxwmatthews@klehr.com
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William W. Matthews, III

Partner | Government Contracting | Corporate and Securities

Biography

William W. Matthews is the Chair of the Firm's Corporate and Securities Department. 

Bill concentrates his practice in securities, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate counseling for a wide range of clients, from family-owned businesses to emerging growth businesses to public companies. He frequently acts as "outside general counsel" to his clients, representing them on all corporate and financial matters and coordinating other legal issues, ranging from litigation to intellectual property to regulatory matters. He regularly reviews agreements, negotiates employment matters and advises on litigation and regulatory issues. Bill also represents parties with business relationships with the U.S. Government and military branches.

In the area of securities, he represents clients in matters before the SEC, providing particular skill in Exchange Act compliance matters and all aspects of SEC registration, and has experience with Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank Act compliance and related regulatory matters. A significant part of his practice includes the representation of individuals, funds and issuers in connection with equity investments in emerging growth companies.

His merger and acquisition experience is significant, having participated in numerous purchases and sales of companies, both public and private, in transactions structured as asset sales, stock sales and mergers. These deals have ranged in size from several million dollars to the $1.6 billion merger between EB Games and GameStop, its primary competitor in the specialty retail video game industry.

Bill was selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® list ten times since 2004 by a vote of his peers.

In an article in GC Mid-Atlantic, Daniel Kaufman, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Game Stop, described Bill as a "responsive, capable, very bright lawyer who understands what the company needs, and gives us 110 percent all the time."

Credentials

Education

University of Notre Dame, J.D. (1993)

LaSalle University, B.A., maxima cum laude (1990)


Admissions

Pennsylvania

New Jersey


Memberships

Vice Chair,  LaSalle University Board of Trustees

Chairman,  LaSalle University Trusteeship and Governance Committee

Member ,  LaSalle College High School Board of Trustees

Member,  Finance and Budget Committee, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

Member,  Glenside Youth Athletic Club Board of Directors

Member,  St. Luke the Evangelist Board of Directors

Past President,  LaSalle University Alumni Association

Member,  LaSalle University Alumni Board of Directors

Adjunct Professor,  LaSalle University MBA Program "Accounting, Financial and Legal Models for Electronic Commerce"

Member, Steering Committee, Co-Chair, Programs Committee,  Impact Conference

Member, Steering Committee, Chair, Programs Committee,  MAC Mid-Atlantic Capital Conference

Chairperson, Programs Committee, Greater Philadelphia Venture Group,  Mid-Atlantic Venture Conference

Member,  Muscular Dystrophy Lock-Up

Member,  Multiple Sclerosis Society Leadership Class

Publications

“Regulation G and Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Rules,” February 2003

"Audit Committee Financial Expert and Code of Ethics Rules," Technology Times, January 2003

"Sarbanes-Oxley Reforms Become Law," Technology Times, October 2002

"Corporate Governance Recommendations in Light of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act," October 2002

Representative Matters:

Family-owned Businesses

  • Representing the owner of a propane and welding business in a $25 million sale of the business (2018)
  • Representing three family members in a $55 million buyout of their interests in a real estate management company (2016)
  • Representing the company and a 50% shareholder in a buyout of a sibling’s 50% interest in a printing and graphics company (2015)
  • Representing three siblings in all matters related to their ownership of a pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor (Current)
  • Representing a retail products Company and its founders and majority owners in all corporate matters (Current)

Restaurants and Hospitality

  • Representing the owner of five restaurants located in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia suburbs, Washington D.C. and Kansas City (Current)
  • Representing investors in restaurants and related hospitality venues in the Delaware Valley (Current)
  • Representing a popular multi-location bar/restaurant in all corporate matters (Current)
  • Representing a bar/restaurant of the Philadelphia International Airport in corporate and regulatory matters (Current)

Securities

  • Representing NYSE listed retailer of video and computer games in multiple public offerings (Current)
  • Representing Angel venture fund in connection with formation, multiple closings, deployment of capital and wind-up (Current)
  • Representing high net worth individual in over 50 early stage investments ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000+ (Current)

Mergers and Acquisitions

  • Representing owner of ESOP consulting business in a sale of the business to a private equity sponsor
  • Representing retailer in numerous acquisitions and divestitures ranging from $1,000,000 to $1,000,000,000+ (Current)
  • Representing medical billing company and CEO in sale of company (2017)
  • Representing health care consulting company in merger with competitor (2016)
  • Representing health care finance company in buyout of private equity investors (2014)
  • Publicly-traded REIT in investment in minority-owned business enterprise (2013)

General Corporate

  • Representing NYSE listed retailer of video games in all corporate matters, including securities compliance, regulatory matters and intellectual property issues (Current)
  • Representing ESOP consulting firm in all corporate matters (Current)
  • Representing specialty finance company in all corporate matters (Current)
  • Representing retailer of consumer products in corporate matters (Current)
  • Representing information technology company in all corporate matters (Current)
  • Representing retailer of pet products in all corporate matters (Current)

Government Contracts

  • Drafted and implemented a Department of Justice mandated administrative compliance program for a public company with multiple contracts
  • Assisted in the defense of a public company against a Department of the Navy recommendation for suspension and debarment
  • Prosecuted a multi-million dollar claim on behalf of a public company before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • Negotiated leases and other business arrangements for a publicly traded retailer for locations on U.S. military bases
  • Responded to a DCCA audit for a company providing services to the U.S. military in Germany