Overview
Matthew Morantz is an associate in the Litigation Department of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s New York office. His practice spans high-stakes trial and appellate litigation in federal and state courts, as well as international arbitration, with experience across industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, construction, infrastructure, mining, energy, manufacturing, technology, real estate, cryptocurrency and financial services. He has handled matters involving breach of contract, fiduciary duties, intellectual property, antitrust, civil RICO claims, government enforcement actions, and other complex commercial and transnational issues.
Matthew, a dual common-law and civil-law trained attorney, maintains a diversified practice that includes the representation of foreign governments, state entities and multinational businesses in investment treaty disputes, international commercial arbitrations and domestic U.S. litigation, including work on sovereign immunity issues, the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards, and post-judgment recovery. In addition, he has advised public and private companies on issues concerning free trade agreements, investment protection treaties and political risk insurance products.
Matthew also regularly sits as an arbitrator under the aegis of the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Court of Arbitration, bringing insight from both counsel and tribunal perspectives.
Accolades
- Future Leader, Lexology Arbitration Report (2024, 2025, 2026)
Education
- Columbia Law School, LL.M., 2017 (Stone Scholar; Editor, Journal of Transnational Law)
- Institut d'etudes politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), J.D.-equivalent, 2014 (Managing Editor, Law Review)
- Concordia University, B.Sc. in Chemistry(with Distinction), 2009
Admissions
- Matthew is admitted to the New York Bar, as well as to the bars of the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Seventh and Federal Circuits.
Representations
- Representing a Japanese pharmaceutical company in a multibillion-dollar ICC arbitration arising from a licensing dispute.
- Representing a Japanese pharmaceutical company in a multibillion-dollar AAA/ICDR arbitration, with parallel U.S. court litigation, concerning IP rights under a cross-border collaboration and licensing agreement.
- Representing a Japanese pharmaceutical company in a high-stakes AAA/ICDR arbitration, with parallel U.S. and U.K. court litigation, arising from a dispute involving complex issues of New York contract law, U.S. and EU patent law, and international law.
- Representing a multinational insurance company in litigation before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to confirm and enforce a multimillion-dollar international arbitration award.
Engagement & Publications
Publications
- “Chapter 12: Tribunal-Mandated Conferencing of Valuation Experts in Investment Arbitration,” Investment Treaty Arbitration and International Law, Author (2019)
- “On the edge of your CETA: new developments in ISDS reform,” Practical Law, Co-Author (2016)
- “Synthesis, Nanostructural and Electronic Characterization of Anthracenedicarboximide Derivatives,” Trends in Nanotechnology International Conference, Author (2010)
- “Scalable, Single-Step Strategy Generates Processable Nacre-Mimetic Films with Remarkable Materials Properties,” Materials Research Society Bulletin, Author (2010)
Involvement
- Past Co-Chair – International Council for Commercial Arbitration Under-40 Section (Young ICCA) (2020-22)
- Past Task Force Member – ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR (2023-24)