Matthew Collett
- Attorney at Law and Founder of Collett Law, PLLC
Practice Areas
- Civil Trial and Litigation
- Insurance Claims and Litigation
- Homeowners, Commercial, and Business Insurance Claims
- Storm, Hurricane, Fire, and Water Damage Claims
- Construction Defect Claims
- Personal Injury Claims
- Wrongful Death Claims
- Auto and Trucking Accident Claims
- Contract and Commercial Disputes
Biography
Matthew Collett is the founder and owner of Collett Law, PLLC. Matthew was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was raised across the river in Crescent Springs (Covington), Kentucky.
Matthew received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Valparaiso University in 2006. Matthew earned multiple Dean's List awards, and he received the Presidential Academic Honor for Student Athletes for his high grades and academic performance while playing football for Valparaiso University. Matthew was also a member of the Pioneer Football League Championship team at Valparaiso University in 2003.
Matthew moved to Jacksonville, Florida, in 2006, where he enrolled in law school at Florida Coastal School of Law. Matthew earned his Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2009. Matthew excelled as a law student, where he graduated in the top 11% of his class and received multiple Dean’s Scholar and Dean’s List awards, as well as Book Awards and Best Appellate Brief and Best Memorandum of Law Awards for his skills in legal writing and research. He also earned a certificate in Advanced Legal Research and Writing.
Throughout law school Matthew honed his legal skills while clerking at local civil trial and litigation firms in Jacksonville, Florida, where he both prosecuted and defended insurance companies and their insureds in personal injury and construction defect claims and lawsuits. After law school, Matthew continued working as an associate attorney at local civil trial and litigation firms in Jacksonville, Florida. During his time as an associate attorney, Matthew continued to hone his trial and litigation skills while defending various people from various civil claims and lawsuits, including the defense of state and local public officials, state law enforcement officers, doctors, nurses, homeowners and condominium associations, large and small corporations and businesses, construction contractors and subcontractors, and insurance companies. Matthew continued to learn the inner workings and strategies of insurance companies and other corporate defendants and businesses while representing and defending them in civil disputes and lawsuits.
In 2018, Matthew founded his law firm, Collett Law, PLLC, primarily representing homeowners and businesses throughout the state of Florida in civil disputes and lawsuits against their insurance companies for wrongfully denying or underpaying insurance claims for storm damage, Hurricane claims, fire damage, water damage, roof damage, bad faith claims, and other property damage and insurance claims. Matthew also represents homeowners and businesses who are victims of shoddy and defective construction.
Matthew represents contractors, businesses, and consumers in contract disputes, contract preparation and reviews, construction and mechanics lien foreclosures, debt collection disputes, deceptive and unfair trade practices claims, and fraud. Matthew's practice also includes representing injured victims and families in personal injury and wrongful death claims ranging from auto and trucking claims, wrongful death claims, slip/trip and fall claims, premises liability claims, and medical malpractice claims.
Matthew also assists clients with sealing, expunging, expungement, and expunction of previous criminal records and convictions in Florida. Matthew continues to leverage his prior decade of inside knowledge and experience gained while defending and representing insurance companies and large corporations for the benefit of his clients, homeowners, and businesses seeking fair compensation and a fair resolution of their disputes.
Matthew lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with his wife, Shanna Collett, who is also an attorney at Collett Law, his two daughters, and his dog, Atticus Finch. On his free time, Matthew enjoys spending time with his family and being a "Girl Dad" to his two daughters. He also enjoys traveling, hiking, fishing, camping, and kayaking on the inshore waterways of Jacksonville and anywhere else where the fish are biting.
Education
- Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville, Florida
- J.D. - 2009
- Honors: cum laude
- Honors: Top 11% of Class; Multiple Book Awards; Dean's Scholar Award; Advanced Legal Research and Writing Certificate; Best Brief and Memorandum of Law Award
- Honors: Dean's List
- Valparaiso University
- B.A. - 2006
- Major: History
- Minor: Political Science
Bar Admissions
- Florida, 2011
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 2011
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
Professional Associations
- Jacksonville Bar Association, Present
- Florida Justice Association, Present
Representative Clients
- William Dale Elliott v. Officer Richard B. Wilcox, et al.-Elliott v. Wilcox, 641 Fed.Appx. 893, (11th Cir. 2016)11th Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals-15-10815
Past Positions
- Vernis & Bowling, Attorney, 2013 to 2018
- Schutt, Schmidt & Noey, Jacksonville, Florida, 2008 to 2013
Litigation
- 100%