Matthew R. Grant

Partner | Litigation

About
Credentials
Experience

About

Matt has extensive experience in a variety of legal issues, including Toxic Tort liabilities and Intellectual Property Protection in Agriculture. Matt’s practice has included advising agricultural industry clients on matters such utility and plant patents, trademarks, plant variety protection (PVP), herbicide application regulations, crop seed bag labeling, crop performance, as well as a variety of other legal issues involving crops ranging from corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton to alfalfa, canola, milo, turf grass, kidney beans, sesame seeds, green peppers and lentils. Many of these matters involved alleged infringement and/or seed piracy. Matt is a frequent speaker at the annual meeting of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA).

  • Matt also has unique experience in product liability and toxic tort (Roundup®-glyphosate, Paraquat®, Gramoxone®, benzene, vinyl chloride monomer, and asbestos) individual and class action cases, including crafting Missouri’s first toxic tort medical monitoring class action settlement (alleged courthouse asbestos exposure). He has defended consumer fraud class actions including litigating a labeling case that involved a nationwide class certification matter overturned by the Eighth Circuit that involved Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA) issues and the successful appearance before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JMDL) that led to the creation of MDL litigation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

    Additionally, Matt has defended a wide array of business and contract disputes. His extensive class action expertise includes the defense of food and consumer products manufacturers faced with class action cases based upon product labeling. These putative class action claims have focused on “All Natural” and “Made in America” language and often involve claims arising under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MMPA).

    Matt has appeared in state, federal district and federal bankruptcy courts around the country, including a 1-month patent infringement trial in the federal court located in Greeneville, MS. The jury awarded Matt’s client more than a $15+ mil. jury verdict that was increased by the district court judge. Matt has also litigated a large number of arbitration cases litigated before the American Arbitration Association (AAA).

    He has also coordinated with federal law enforcement (FBI and IRS) authorities and has litigated employee embezzlement matters.

Practices

  • Arbitration and Mediation

  • Civil Pretrial and Trial Services

  • Class Action Defense

  • Commercial Litigation

  • Intellectual Property Litigation

  • Litigation and Risk Management

  • Products Liability Litigation and Counseling

  • White Collar Defense & Investigations

Admissions

  • Illinois

  • Missouri

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois

  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri

Education

  • University of Missouri School of Law, J.D.

    • Journal of Dispute Resolution

  • Truman State University, B.A.

    • Business Administration

Recognition

  • Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, Rising Star, 2012-2015

Experience

  • Husch Blackwell LLP

Representative Experience

  • Second-chaired trial in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, and conducted the direct examination of the client's damages expert, resulting in a favorable verdict of more than $10 million.

  • Second-chaired trial representing an agricultural products manufacturer in a patent infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi, in which jury found that the defendants’ infringement was willful and rendered a verdict that resulted in a judgment for more than $15 million.

  • Litigated with favorable results in the trial of patent and trademark infringement litigation matters on behalf of a Fortune 500 company.

  • Secured dismissal of a putative nationwide class action case involving allegations of deceptive advertising.

  • Sole negotiator of and court approved class action settlement of Missouri’s first toxic tort medical monitoring class action settlement and medical monitoring program. The settlement value of the class action case was reported as $80 million.

  • Supervised and managed the coordinated defense of hundreds of toxic tort matters around the country for a Fortune 500 company.

  • Represented a biodiesel refinery client involving issues relating to National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) and National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) rules.

  • Matt litigated the following cases/decisions:

    • Monsanto Co. v. David, 516 F. 3d 1009 (Fed.Cir. 2008)

    • Monsanto Co. v. McFarling, 488 F. 3d 973 (FedCir. 2007)

    • Monsanto Co. v. Scruggs, 459 F. 3d 1328 (Fed.Cir. 2006)

    • Monsanto Co. v. David, 448 F. Supp. 2d 1088 (E.D.Mo. 2006)

    • Monsanto Co. v. Hill, 2006 WL 4864419 (E.D.Mo. 2005)

    • Monsanto Co. v. McFarling, 363 F. 3d 1336 (Fed.Cir. 2004)

    • Monsanto Co. v. Ralph, 382 F. 3d 1374 (Fed.Cir. 2004)

    • Monsanto Co. v. Scruggs, 342 F. Supp. 2d 568 (N.D.Ms. 2004)

    • Monsanto Co. v. Scruggs, 342 F. Supp. 2d 584 (N.D.Ms. 2004)

    • Monsanto Co. v. Scruggs, 342 F. Supp. 2d 602 (N.D.Ms. 2004)

    • Monsanto Co. v. McFarling, 302 F. 3d 1291 (Fed.Cir. 2002)

    • Monsanto Co. v. Nelson, 2001 WL 34079479 (E.D.Mo. 2001)