Matthew D. Schelkopf has extensive litigation experience throughout the United States and has successfully handled large complex class actions on behalf of millions of consumers against major auto manufacturers such as Honda, Toyota, Volvo, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, GM, Subaru, Ford, Volkswagen, Audi, Mazda, Chrysler and Nissan. He is a devoted litigator with an emphasis on catastrophic personal injury matters and complex class actions involving automotive defects, consumer protection, defective products and false advertising. Mr. Schelkopf currently serves as lead or co-lead counsel in numerous class actions related to product and automotive defect cases pending throughout the United States.
Mr. Schelkopf was selected as the 2022-2023 President of the Class Action Trial Lawyers Association Top 25, an invitation-only elite group limited to the Top 25 lawyers in each state. He has also been honored as a Best Lawyer® in America (Mass Tort/Class Action) in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, LawDragon recognized Mr. Schelkopf in its list of the"500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers”. The LawDragon consumer law guide offers the publication’s take on the best of the U.S. plaintiff bar specializing in representing consumers. The publication notes "these are the lawyers who stand on the front line in individual lawsuits and class actions seeking justice. They relish their role of underdog, taking on the toughest cases . . . ." In 2021, 2022 and 2023, he was selected as a Top 25 Products Liability Trial Lawyer, an invitation-only professional organization composed of and limited to the Top 25 attorneys from each state or region who serve individuals and families who need attorneys to represent them in the American legal system regarding Product Liability claims.
The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” The Legal highlights Mr. Schelkopf’s work on behalf of clients who have been victimized by corporations. In 2020 and 2022, Mr. Schelkopf was selected to America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® in Pennsylvania, comprised of the nation’s most exceptional trial lawyers for high stakes legal matters. Since 2019, Mr. Schelkopf has been selected by the National Trial Lawyers Association as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania. Since 2010, Mr. Schelkopf has been selected by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers as a Rising Star (a distinction held by the top 2.5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania) and then a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, as chosen by legal peers and through the independent research of Law & Politics. In 2012, The American Lawyer Media, publisher of The Legal Intelligencer and the Pennsylvania Law Weekly, named Mr. Schelkopf as one of the “Lawyers on the Fast Track” a distinction that recognized thirty-five Pennsylvania attorneys under the age of 40 who show outstanding promise in the legal profession and make a significant commitment to their community. Mr. Schelkopf was also selected as a Top 40 under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers in 2012-2015.
Mr. Schelkopf began his legal profession as a criminal prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office of York County. He quickly progressed to Senior Deputy Prosecutor where he headed a trial team responsible for approximately 300 felony and misdemeanor cases each quarterly trial term.
In 2004, Mr. Schelkopf then associated with a suburban Philadelphia area law firm, litigating individual civil matters throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In 2006, he was co-counsel in a Philadelphia County trial resulting in a $30,000,000.00 jury verdict in favor of his clients – the largest state verdict recorded for that year.
In 2017, Mr. Schelkopf utilized his background and knowledge of automobiles to assist police in identifying the vehicle used in a pedestrian hit and run incident which left the victim with severe life-threatening injuries. The driver was subsequently apprehended by police and admitted to being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
Outside of the office, Mr. Schelkopf enjoys spending time with his wife, son and golden retriever. He also keeps active with mountain and road biking, skiing, and restoring (and racing) classic automobiles. Three of his auto restorations have been featured in nationally circulated automotive publications.
EDUCATION
Villanova University School of Law, LL.M., 2008
Widener University School of Law, J.D., 2002 Moot Court Honor Society; Trial Advocacy Honor Society - Executive Board
Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 1999
ADMISSIONS
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
District of New Jersey
Eastern District of Michigan
HONORS
National Trial Lawyers: Top 25 Class Action Trial Lawyers - President 2022-2023
Best Lawyers® in America - 2022 and 2023
LawDragon "500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers" - 2020
National Trial Lawyers: Top 25 Products Liability Trial Lawyers – 2021-2023
Legal Intelligencer, Pennsylvania Trailblazer - 2020
America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® - 2020, 2022
Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania, National Trial Lawyers Association - 2019-2023
Pennsylvania Super Lawyer - 2017-2022
National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 under 40 – 2012-2015
Lawyers on the Fast Track – 2012
Pennsylvania Rising Star – 2010-2016
National Order of Barristers
MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS
American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Bar Association
Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association
