Matthew Wright is the Managing Partner of the Law Firm for Truck Safety’s Tennessee office.
A third-generation Tennessee lawyer, Matthew Wright graduated from Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in DuBois, Wyoming in August 2011 and has achieved a 10 of 10 rating “superb” from Avvo.com. He serves as an Officer and on the Executive Board of the American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group and is the 2023-2024 Vice-Chair. Mr. Wright also serves on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys and is Board-certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Matthew began his legal career representing mega-insurance companies. Matt soon realized many of these companies cared very little about truck crash victims, even if those people had suffered catastrophic, life-altering losses. In response to this realization, Matt began representing ordinary people, instead of large companies as a truck accident lawyer. Changing sides on the bench has resulted in life-long friendships with his clients and other trucking lawyers throughout the country.
Matthew Wright hopes for a future where his role as a truck accident attorney, representing people injured by dangerous trucking companies, is no longer needed. As a truck injury lawyer, he hopes he and other trial attorneys will, together, force unsafe trucking companies with unsafe practices out of business, leaving only safe and compliant trucking companies on our roadways. Through litigation, and advocating for changes in the trucking industry on things like controls on fatigued driving, underride guards, and mandatory use of collision mitigation systems, he hopes to effect change and make his vision a reality.
Education
• Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D.
• Vanderbilt University, B.A.
• The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, GA
Certifications
Board Certified as a Specialist in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (2019)
(One of the first 10 lawyers in the country to receive this certification)
Admissions
• Tennessee Supreme Court (2003)
• All Tennessee State courts
• United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
•United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
• Pro Hac Vice Admission in California, Texas, Kentucky, Southern District of New York, Southern District of Florida
• All Ohio State Courts
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
Publications
• The ELD Mandate: An Imperfect Solution to Rampant Danger, AAJ, Interstate Trucking Litigation Journal (Winter/Spring 2019)
• “Hidden Motor Carriers in the Supply Chain – The New Fraud,” AAJ, Interstate Trucking Litigation Journal (Winter/Spring 2018)
• “Left-Hand Turn Cases,” AAJ, Interstate Trucking Litigation Journal (Fall 2014)
• “Defeating the Ostrich Defense in Premises Liability Cases”, Tennessee Trial Lawyer (2009)
• “Securities Action”, Tennessee Trial Lawyer (2005)
• “Admissibility of Expert Testimony”, National Business Institute (2004)
Awards
• American Association for Justice, Trucking Litigation Group, Chairwoman’s Award for Distinguished Service (2019, 2020)
• Rated 10/10 Superb for Top Truck Accident attorneys by avvo.com
• Member of Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2016-present)
• Member of The National Trial Lawyers, Top Ten Trucking Trial Lawyers (2017-present)
• Advocate, American Association for Justice (2009)
Affiliations
• American Association for Justice, Trucking Litigation Group Executive Officer (2020 – present)
• American Association for Justice, Trucking Litigation Group Broker Committee (2018-present)
• American Association for Justice, Interstate Trucking Litigation Journal, Co-Chair of Journal (2014-2015);Chair of Journal (2017-2018); Membership Chair (2018-2019); Education Chair (2019-2020)
• Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, Member (2016-present); Board of Regents (2020 – present)
• American Association for Justice, Interstate Trucking Litigation Journal, Co-Chair of Journal (2014-2015);Chair of Journal (2017-2018); Membership Chair (2018-2019); Education Chair (2019-2020)
• American Association for Justice, Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, Member of Executive Board (2014-2015), (2017-2018)
• Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers’ College (Ranch Club Member) (2011-present)
• Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, Member (2005 – present) and Member of Circle of Advocates
• Board of Governors, Tennessee Association for Justice (2009-2012)
• Ethics Committee, Tennessee Association for Justice (2009-2010)
• Attorney Mentor
• Tennessee Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association, Nashville Chapter
• Christian Trial Lawyers Association
Featured Speaking Engagements
• “An Overview of Handling Amazon Cases, ” Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, 2023 Annual Symposium, Atlanta, GA (September 2023)
• “Cell Phones and Apps in Trucks, App-Driven Trucking,” Ohio Association for Justice, 2023 Annual Convention, Columbus, OH (May 2023)
• “Corporate Players and Hidden Layers, Amazon, Uber, Freight and More,” New Jersey Association for Justice, 2023 Boardwalk Seminar, Atlantic City, NJ (April 2023)
• “Understanding The Transportation Cycle – The Players, Causes of Action, Black Letter Law” Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, NTLD Bootcamp, Las Vegas, NV (March 2023)
• “The Trial Deposition – Get That Admission!,” American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group Members Only, Nashville, TN (January 2023)
• “Potential Claims in Trucking Cases,” American Association for Justice, Trial Advocacy College, Denver, CO (November 2022)
• “When $1 Million Isn’t Enough: Establishing Liability against Amazon,” Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, 2022 Annual Symposium, Austin, TX (October 2022)
• “The Changing Landscape of Trucking Cases,” Oklahoma Association for Justice, Trucking Litigation Intensive, Oklahoma City, OK (September 2022)
• Driven Standard” (Palm Beach, FL 2019) (Chair, Moderator and Speaker)
• American Association for Justice, Specialized Depositions College – Trucking, “Deposing Responsible Third Parties” (Faculty and Presenter, Washington, D.C. 2019)
• Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys 2019 Symposium, “Construction Zone Crashes” (Nashville, Tennessee 2019)
• Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, “Proving System Failures-A How To Primer on Rules and Evidence” (National Webinar 2019)
• American Association for Justice, Annual Convention 2019, Trucking/Bus Litigation Group, “Defendants Other than the Motor Carrier” (San Diego, California 2019)
• New Jersey Association for Justice, Boardwalk Seminar, “Settling the Trucking Case” (Atlantic City, New Jersey 2019)
• 360Advocacy, Auto Crash Litigation 6.0, “Traumatic Sleep Deprivation (Always Present, Always Ignored) to Prove Economic Disability for Life Care Plans” (Las Vegas, Nevada 2019)
• Strafford, “Arguing Driver Fatigue in Trucking and Auto Accidents,” (National Webinar March 5, 2019)
• Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group 2018 Members Only, Willard Hotel, Washington, D.C., “Proving Sleep-Deficit Damages,” (2018)
• Trucking Litigation Group 2018 Members Only, Willard Hotel Washington, D.C., “Using Internal Policies to Prove Aggravated Damages,” (2018)
• Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, 2018 Symposium, “Understanding HOS – ELD,” (Nashville, Tennessee 2018)
• Kentucky Justice Association, Trucking Seminar, “Tenacity Required—Get What You Need in Discovery in the Big Truck Case,” (Louisville, KY 2018)
• New Jersey Association for Justice, Boardwalk Seminar, “Finding Additional Coverage Right Under Your Nose,” (Atlantic City, N.J. 2018)
• American Association for Justice, Trucking Litigation College Faculty Member, Winter/Spring 2018
• Trial Lawyer Nation Podcast, “Finding Additional Liability in Brokers and Shippers,” (2018) https://triallawyernation.com/episode/07-matthew-wright/
• American Association for Justice, Winter Convention Specialized Track on Transportation Safety, 2018, Maui, HI, “Hidden Motor Carriers in the Supply Chain – The New Fraud,” (Maui, HI 2018)
• Ohio Association for Justice, Trucking Litigation Group, “Parent Company Liability for Broker Selection,” (Columbus, OH September, 27th, 2017)
• Stafford, “Motor Carrier Claims for Negligent Entrustment, Hiring and Retention,” (National Webinar August 16th, 2017)
• Interstate Trucking Litigation Group – Members Only Seminar, “Suing the Insurance Company Directly – Yes You Can!” (November 10th, 2016, Ponte Vedra, Florida)
• Intestate Trucking Litigation Group, JazzFest Seminar Members Only, “Case Themes and Demonstrative Evidence in Trucking Cases” (New Orleans, LA 2014)
Personal
• Member of Brentwood Baptist Church
• Married with four children
• Hobbies: travel, art, museums, reading, and learning
