Matthew H. Leys

Matthew H. Leys is a member of the firm. Matt concentrates his practice in zoning and land use law, civil litigation, municipal law, real estate transactions, contracts, and wills, trusts, and estates. He has extensive experience handling zoning and planning matters before local zoning and planning boards, the Newport Historic District Commission (HDC), and in State Courts. Matt has also represented a number of clients in applications to the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC). In addition, he has experience handling property rights and boundary disputes, contract disputes, construction litigation, landlord/tenant matters, trust and probate litigation, commercial litigation, and other litigation matters.

Matt was born in Newport and is a cum laude graduate of Providence College. During his junior year, he attended the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Matt received his law degree in 2000 from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas. After law school he served as judicial law clerk to the late Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice Victoria Lederberg during the 2000-2001 Court term. He joined the firm as an associate in 2001 and became a member of the firm in 2005. Matt was the Chairman of the City of Newport Charter Review Commission in 2007-08, is a past Director of the Newport Historical Society, and past President of the Board of the Directors of the Newport Public Library, a member of the board of the Trustees of Long Wharf and Public Schools and is a corporator of Ocean Point Financial Partners/ BankNewport.

Representative experience:

  • Has represented numerous residential and commercial property owners in successfully seeking zoning relief before the Newport and Middletown zoning boards of review;
  • Has served as counsel for over ten years to Rhode Island’s largest cultural organization on a wide variety of legal matters;
  • Successfully represented a Newport marina owner in a boundary and marina rights dispute in Rhode Island Superior Court;
  • Has successfully litigated a number of family trust disputes in Rhode Island Superior Court;
  • Served as lead counsel or co-counsel in several trials in Rhode Island Superior Court, including both jury and non-jury, resulting in favorable verdicts or settlements for his clients;

Areas of Practice:

  • Zoning and Land Use Law
  • Civil Litigation
  • Municipal Law
  • Real Estate Transactions
  • Contracts
  • Wills and Estates

Education:

  • J.D., University of Texas School of Law
  • B.A., Providence College, cum laude

Contact information:

Phone: (401) 847-0872
Fax: (401) 847-5810
Email: mleys@cphnpt.com

Placeholder image