MATTHEW S. POLAHA

BIO

Matt is a 2002 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Administration of Justice.  Prior to attending law school, he served as an Officer in the U.S. Navy from 2002 to 2012.  While in law school, Matt continued to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve and after graduation from Villanova Law, he was selected to join the Navy Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAGC) in 2015.  Since then, he has practiced law on behalf of the U.S. Navy in the areas of legal assistance, command services, and as part of one of the largest internal investigations in U.S. Navy history.

CAREER

During law school, Matt was a summer intern in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas.  He then interned with the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, where he conducted preliminary and juvenile hearings as well as summary appeals in the Court of Common Pleas.

After graduating from Villanova Law, Matt volunteered as a law clerk for The Honorable Juan R. Sánchez in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prior to being hired as an associate at a law firm.  Matt practices in a variety of areas including small business law, civil rights and municipal liability defense, professional liability, prison representation and as an Assistant Solicitor for the Chester County Sheriff’s Office. He has argued various motions/proceedings in state courts throughout Pennsylvania, conducted and defended depositions, and advised and counseled clients on a wide array of legal issues.