Matthew “Matt” Madden is an experienced advisor and trial lawyer who represents businesses and individuals across all phases of dispute resolution, including trial, arbitration, mediation, and negotiated settlement. He counsels construction project owners, developers, general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, suppliers, and other business entities in complex commercial disputes.
A seasoned litigator, Matt has extensive experience handling construction and commercial claims, condominium disputes, mechanic’s lien matters, insurance-coverage and indemnity disputes, and other high-stakes, multiparty litigation in both state and federal courts, as well as in alternative dispute resolution proceedings. His practice is grounded in a deep understanding of the construction industry and the legal, financial, and practical realities faced by his clients.
Clients rely on Matt for pragmatic advice, strategic judgment, and steady guidance when navigating complex and high-pressure disputes. He is known for his ability to distill complicated factual and legal issues, develop effective litigation strategies, and advocate forcefully on behalf of his clients while remaining focused on efficient, business-minded outcomes.
Before Bowditch
Before joining Bowditch, Matt was a partner at a MetroWest boutique litigation law firm, where he was a core member of the firm’s litigation practice. He advised long-standing clients in high-stakes matters and was frequently entrusted with disputes headed toward trial or alternative dispute resolution.
Besides work
When out of the office, Matt can usually be found spending time with his family, playing golf or tennis, or rooting for the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, or Red Sox—depending on the season.
Affiliations
- Subcontractors and Suppliers Division, American Bar Association
- Boston Bar Association
- Real Estate Development and Construction Law Steering Committee, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Plymouth County Bar Association
- Holy Cross Lawyers Association
Honors
- Boston magazine’s Top Lawyers List, Construction Law (2025)
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star (2020–2022)
Articles + Talks
Articles
- “When ‘Time is of the Essence’ Becomes a Seven-Figure Problem – Contractor Takeaways from Enfield Builders v. DCAMM,” Bowditch (2026)
- “May I Have This Dance, to Wrap or Not,” For the Defense, DRI (2015)
Talks
- “An Overview of the Massachusetts’ Mechanic’s Lien Law: What Every Practitioner Should Know About M.G.L. c. 254,” Massachusetts Bar Association
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Suffolk University School of Law
- B.A., College of the Holy Cross
- Obtained a $1.4 million settlement on behalf of a contractor against a Fortune 100 company that refused payment for completed services. The resolution followed the strategic invocation of Massachusetts’ Prompt Pay Act, after which the opposing party capitulated and wired payment to the client.
- Successfully appealed an awarding authority’s rejection of a construction client’s low bid for a large boiler-replacement project, which had been improperly denied based on alleged “past experience”
- Secured dismissal of a general contractor sued for negligence, breach of the Massachusetts Building Code, and violations of G.L. c. 93A arising from renovation work at an affordable-housing complex, obtaining dismissal before discovery or depositions
- Defeated summary judgment in a commercial real-estate dispute and successfully enforced a buyer’s contractual right to terminate and recover escrow funds, with the court finding the seller’s conduct constituted a material breach and rejecting all counterclaims
- Successfully defended a client against claims of fraud and unfair business practices, securing dismissal under Massachusetts’ anti-SLAPP statute and an award of nearly $20,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs
- Obtained dismissal with prejudice of a conversion claim against a general contractor in a multi-defendant housing dispute, where the plaintiff failed to identify any converted property, wrongful conduct, or resulting harm
- Successfully invoked G.L. c. 30, § 39F to secure direct payment on behalf of a subcontractor wrongfully denied payment after substantial completion of its work
- Obtained summary judgment for a general contractor on breach-of-contract and indemnification claims arising from a serious workplace injury involving an alleged traumatic brain injury
- Represented the owner of a high-end residential property in prosecuting breach-of-contract and professional malpractice claims against an architect
- Secured dismissal of breach-of-contract and G.L. c. 93A claims against a construction-management firm following the construction of a regional high school
- Achieved a significant federal court settlement on behalf of a condominium association in a defective construction and design action against a developer
- Obtained summary judgment for a business and municipality in a mandamus action challenging a negotiated telecommunications lease and alleging violations of Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution
- Represented a prominent university in arbitration involving claims of negligence, failure to warn, and premises liability
- Secured summary judgment for one of the largest privately held real-estate organizations in New England in a premises-liability action
- Defended a national asbestos-removal company against claims for contractual indemnification, declaratory relief, and statutory contribution following a multi-million-dollar commercial fire loss
- Represented a regional gas, electric, and telecommunications utility provider in claims against a developer arising from a water-main break causing widespread commercial damage
- Obtained summary judgment for a general contractor against breach-of-contract and defective construction claims barred by the statute of repose