Matthew C. Sostrin

Matt Sostrin is an experienced litigator and advisor whose wide-ranging practice is focused on environmental, toxic tort, wildfire, and product liability litigation. Matt also represents clients in complex commercial litigation, financial services litigation, and securities class actions.

Environmental, Toxic Tort, Wildfire, & Products Liability

• Defended cable provider in Maui, Hawaii against individual and class actions filed on behalf of tens of thousands of plaintiffs alleging that its cables contributed to causing the Lahaina fire.
• Defended engineering firm against individual and class actions filed on behalf of thousands of residents in Flint, Michigan alleging that the firm contributed to causing the Flint water crisis and exposing residents to lead.
• Defended sugarcane producer against class action challenging its pre-harvest sugarcane burning practices. All claims were voluntarily dismissed.
• Represented sugarcane producer in successful challenge to EPA’s retroactive imposition of “new source” boiler emission standards to already-operating boilers. U.S. Sugar Corp. v. EPA (D.C. Cir. 2024).
• Secured trial victory for natural gas utility in action brought by municipality alleging that byproducts from former manufactured gas plant migrated to and endangered city water mains. City of Evanston v. N. Ill. Gas Co. (N.D. Ill. 2019).
• Defended multinational food company against claims asserted by hundreds of plaintiffs recruited by Erin Brokovich related to solvents in area groundwater. Prevailed on summary judgment. Avila v. CNH Am. LLC (D. Neb. 2009).
• Defended former owner of wood treatment facility against claims asserted by thousands of neighboring residents alleging exposure to air emissions containing dioxins and other chemicals.
• National and trial level defense of multinational entity that manufactured and sold PFAS and PFAS-containing products, including resolving disputes involving implementation of natural resources damages settlement.
• National and trial level defense of multinational entity that sold asbestos and asbestos-containing products; secured numerous grants of summary judgment as well as a defense verdict following three-week jury trial in Cook County, Illinois.
• National and trial level defense of former diacetyl supplier in butter flavorings litigation alleging severe respiratory injuries from diacetyl fumes.
• Defended chemical manufacturer against class action alleging that the company's herbicide atrazine contaminated public water supplies.
• Represented natural gas utility in EPA enforcement action under TSCA involving PCBs in natural gas pipeline systems.
• Represented railroad in state and federal court actions filed by regulators and neighboring landowners involving solvents and diesel fuel in groundwater near former rail yards.
• Defended former owner of 14 chemical plants against CERCLA and contract claims asserted by the current owner to allocate environmental response costs.
• Defended tenant against the landlord’s CERCLA, RCRA, and state law claims involving groundwater contamination caused by prior occupant.

Commercial, Financial Services, and Securities Litigation

• National and trial level defense of a multinational entity that sold asbestos and asbestos-containing products; secured numerous grants of summary judgment as well as a defense verdict following a three-week jury trial in Cook County, Illinois.
• Defended a chemical manufacturer in lawsuits filed by 1,400 coal miners claiming respiratory injuries from exposure to isocyanate products used for roof support and ventilation control in underground coal mines.
• National and trial level defense of a former diacetyl supplier in butter flavorings litigation; developed our client’s strategy for resolving approximately 400 claims in connection with its chapter 11 reorganization; secured the transfer of all claims against our client, its subsidiary, and another company to the federal court where our client’s bankruptcy case was pending, facilitating a global resolution of the claims.
• Represented a chemical manufacturer in a putative class action alleging that the company's herbicide atrazine has contaminated public water supplies.
• Obtained dismissal of multidistrict litigation comprised of 14 nationwide class actions seeking travel insurance coverage for COVID-related claims.In re Generali COVID-19 Travel Ins. Litig. (S.D.N.Y. 2021, aff’d 2d Cir. 2022).
• Successfully defended TC Energy in appraisal and fiduciary duty actions arising out of its $13 billion acquisition of Columbia Pipeline Group.In re Appraisal of Columbia Pipeline Grp., Inc. (Del. Ch. 2019), In re Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. Merger Litig. (Del. 2025).
• Defended banks and mortgage lenders against individual and class actions filed by borrowers, municipalities, and national and local housing organizations alleging discrimination under the Fair Housing Act and other laws.
• Defended mortgage servicer against class action challenging imposition of property inspection and related fees following defaults.Prevailed on summary judgment.Stitt v. Citibank, N.A. (9th Cir. 2018).
• Defended national and regional banks against class actions challenging overdraft and insufficient funds fees on checking accounts.
• Defended national bank against class actions challenging the processing of ACH transactions for tribal and offshore payday lenders.
• Represented national bank in post-judgment and bankruptcy proceedings to collect $43 million judgment against borrowers who fraudulently transferred assets.
• Defended founders of educational software company against litigation filed by minority shareholders that sought to enjoin $455 million sale of the company.Secured dismissal of all claims.Data Key Partners v. Permira Advisers LLC (Wis. 2014).

Pro Bono

• Principal drafter of the Police Accountability Task Force Report (2016), which recommended reforms to the Chicago Police Department and its oversight bodies.
• Briefed and argued appeal of racketeering conviction in Seventh Circuit.

• University of Illinois College of Law, JD, summa cum laude
  Articles Editor, University of Illinois Law Review
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BA, cum laude

• Illinois