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Matthew Constantino
Matthew S. Constantino
Matthew S. Constantino is a Partner with Clapp, Moroney, Vucinich, Beeman & Scheley, and has been with the firm since 2005. Matt has extensive experience successively representing prominent developers, general contractors, subcontractors and design professionals in hundreds of large and complex lawsuits throughout California, frequently serving as lead defense counsel. As part of his practice, Matt has particular expertise in the relationship of insurance to construction related issues, including obligations to defend and indemnify. He has significant experience in litigating construction and construction defect matters and advising clients concerning risk management, contract formation and negotiation, and insurance issues. Matt also has extensive experience in handling matters on behalf of developers, general contractors and trade contractors involving Civil Code section 895 et seq. (SB800) claims. His experience has allowed his clients to successfully navigate the statutory requirements of SB800, as well as resolving claims in an efficient and effective manner while limiting or avoiding subsequent litigation.
In addition to his construction law practice, Matt has also litigated matters in numerous other fields, including habitability, personal injury, insurance and business litigation disputes.
Matt has been a panelist at a number of prominent national and regional conferences on construction litigation topics. Most recently, he was a panelist at the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada's Annual Construction Litigation Seminar in Walnut Creek in 2019, where he presented strategies in defending HOA claims from the perspective of the developer and general contractor. He was also a panelist at the annual MC Consultants West Region Construction Litigation & Insurance Coverage Conference in San Diego in September 2015, where he presented current coverage trends and issues in California. He was also a panelist at the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance Construction Mini-Conference in Anaheim in November 2013, and presented a national overview of the various states' “Right to Repair” or “Notice and Opportunity to Repair” statutes, with a particular emphasis on SB 800 – California's Right to Repair statute, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of such statutes.
Matt received his B.A. in English, and a minor in Business Management, from San Jose State University in 1994, where he was on the Dean's List. He received his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2000, where he graduated with honors, was an editor of the Law Review, and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Legal Analysis, Research and Writing. He was also a judicial extern for the Hon. Jeremy Fogel of the United States District Court, Northern District of California.
Matt has been admitted to practice in California since 2000, and is also admitted to practice before the United States Courts of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alameda County Bar Association, the Contra Costa County Bar Association, the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada, where he is serving as Co-Editor in Chief of the Defense Comment Magazine, the Building Industry Association and the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance, where he is serving on the Board of Directors of the Sacramento Chapter as the Director of Membership and as a member of the Construction Committee.
In addition to these professional organizations, Matt is also actively involved in his community. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Santa Clara University Bronco Builders Association, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Little Italy San Jose.
Matt can be contacted at Clapp, Moroney's East Bay/Central Valley Office or at [email protected].