Reviews

We contacted Matthew about an incident with one of our children. Matthew was clear, concise and very empathetic with my child’s concerns and issues. In fact, he was great in making our family feel better and helped us understand different action plan scenarios. I feel he is very trustable and also trustworthy. Thank you!

When you first talk to Matthew, you can instantly tell he is highly intelligent and he has vast experience in his field. I could tell instantly he knew his stuff and it didn’t take long to realize I was going to hire him. As you probably know, any legal issue is a stressful one. He walked me through every step of the way with a caring and compassionate heart, a great positive attitude about it all, and confidence about what would eventually be the outcome. His professionalism and knowledge of the process really stood out to me. Quite honestly, he made the difficult moments just a little bit easier. At the end of the day, he got us the results we were hoping and praying for. This is a man that hits his mark. You will not be disappointed with Matthew. As for me…moving forward making decisions with good intentions and never looking back.

From the very beginning Mr. McHenry showed compassion for me and provided me extremely helpful advice, both legal and personal. He guided me through the legal process and talked to me like a person in need of help and not just another client. He listened to my concerns and addressed them. I listened to and followed his advice and I got a very good outcome for my case because of it. I highly recommend Mr. McHenry.

Life can get hard sometimes, especially when others feel they can take advantage of you. My case was such that both the police and then an assistant district attorney thought that they could bring a case against me that they could easily win but they were wrong. I was scheduled to graduate college in 6 weeks when the local campus police falsely accused me of two separate offense. As a result, I was suspended from school and my hopes for a degree and a promising future were put in jeopardy. Matt went with me before the Assistant Dean and the University’s corporate counsel for my suspension hearing. After capturing the details of the case, which administrators would only allow us to read, Matt worked with me to explain my whereabouts and actions at the times and dates in question. He prepared a brief describing my response to the accusation, I was cleared by the university and allowed to return to campus and completed my degree. One down, two to go. The Campus Public Safety detective who had interrogated me was not satisfied with the university’s decision and as such forwarded the case to the DA for grand jury indictment. As I had a prior felony background the assistant DA felt he had an easily winnable case. The second threat was that I was on post-prison reduced supervision and could have easily been sanction and thrown back into prison. Matt was able to work with my PO and present the details of the case such that no sanctions were applied. Two down, one to go. The final threat was having to go to trial. The assistant DA would not accept the verifiable digital evidence and polygraphs exonerating me. So after a year in limbo, we went through a three-day trial. During the trial, Matt exhibited all the attributes of a strong lawyer, the type we all hope for when we are facing such a palpable threat to one’s life. He was methodical and articulate in his defense of my liberty and future. His courtroom presence was palpable in that you could feel him carrying the stress and burdens of the moment. Bit by bit he deconstructed the inaccuracies and falsehood of the prosecution's case. He revealed the procedural misconducts of campus public safety officers. With the help of his investigative team and expert witnesses, he was able to demonstrate that there was no way I could have been present at the time of the perpetrated event and the eyewitness testimony against me was flawed. Upon his third motion for dismissal, the judge was convinced by Matt’s arguments and I was acquitted. Three down - Free at last. My advice to anyone who is confronted by the criminal justice system is to Lawyer Up! Your life is in danger and the system is designed to inflict maximum pain regardless of your guilt or innocence. You will need someone to carry the burdens with you and at some point for you, you won’t be able to do it alone. My experiences are that Matt is empathetic and is in the fight with you. I have hired other lawyers before and Matt is the best. If you allow yourself to trust his experience, intellect, and abilities you will have your best chance at preserving your liberty and future. I hope you can make the decision I was able to and come out on top. Mark W. (Victorious defendant)

My son sat alone and afraid on the prisoner bench waiting for the court proceedings to begin. Instead of chatting with the other lawyers, Matthew chose to sit and talk with him, to get to know him as a person beyond his charges, and to ease his anxiety through conversation. At this moment I knew we made the right choice. As a person on the autistic spectrum, my son, at 18, committed a crime out of anxiety and panic. Without an attorney that chose to relate to him and understand his differences in communication and social interaction the courtroom is terrifying. Matthew McHenry’s understanding of the law, and my son’s disability, made all the difference. With Matthew’s encouragement, my son was able to address the court in a confident and respectful way to explain his disability and feelings of personal responsibility. Mr. McHenry changed an outcome that we believed was inevitable. He made a difference to our family that transcends words, I would trust no other attorney to advocate and represent my son.

If you ever find yourself in the need of legal representation for a criminal matter, you will find that there are many, many options. If you want the very best attorney you can get, call this guy and call him ASAP. I would delay in hiring Mr McHenry, as often times the quicker he is involved, the quicker the case is resolved and that means the least financial impact on you, amongst other things. So many attorneys in the Portland metro area, but this is the guy that other attorneys call when they are in trouble or need an expert opinion. Matt is the real deal. I’ve met very few people of this caliber. The guy is 101% honest and ethical at every step, he returns call at any hour of the day or night, he fights for you until the bell rings and then throws the last punch. If you have tried others, try the best. He may not be the cheapest, but you absolutely get what you pay for. Incredible is all I can say in one word. Just wow.

Situation: I was sentenced roughly 3 years after the incident occurred. I was told that the case had been initially no complainted then a few months later I was told it was dismissed. 2 & 1/2 years later I find out I had a warrant for my arrest. I fly back to Oregon, turn myself in, and have a court-appointed attorney handle my case. I signed the plea bargain the DA gave me. Part of the deal was 2 years of supervised probation. My attorney at the time did not tell me I couldn't continue to live in Texas if I am on supervised probation. After I sign the deal and court ends, I sign up for probation. This is when I was told I was not allowed to continue to live and work in Texas because I was sentenced to 2 years of supervised probation in Clackamas County. I was being forced to move back without a place to stay or job to work at. My whole family, dog, job, and circle of friends are here in Austin, TX. At this point I had no ties to Oregon whatsoever. This is when I sent Matt's firm an email explaining what my situation was. I immediately got a return phone call from Matt himself. He had already spent the time and effort to look into everything before he even called me! We talked for a good 20 minutes then he started right away. He was able to get me a travel permit, so I could go back to work in Austin, TX, from my probation officer within a few hours! Next he immediatley scheduled a hearing for his motion to allow me to stay in Texas. He even set up the hearing so I didn't have to appear in person. On the day of the hearing, I called the judges chambers and was "patched" into the courtroom. Matt then proceeded to convince the judge and even DA to switch my probation from "supervised" to "bench". This allowed me to fulfill my probation requirements while I reside in TX! Matt's post-conviction work was incredibly fast, efficient, and clearly effective. By far the best Attorney I have ever worked with in my life. He did exactly what he said he would do and kept me informed the entire time. I just wish I had initially hired him to take on my case in the first place....

Mr. McHenry is the right choice for your defense. In my situation, I was facing a felony indictment. Mr. McHenry was able to get the charge reduced to a [traffic] ticket through his keen observation. An advantage over the other lawyers I interviewed is that Mr. McHenry gave timely advice that saved me $5k to $10k over blanket assumptions of the other lawyers ( Neal Weingart ). Matthew McHenry is the winning lawyer.

I am a California attorney who hired Matt McHenry to represent my son on a Portland drug charge. The result was better than I had hoped for. Matt is competent, diligent and accessible. I could not have asked for more. I highly recommend Matt McHenry.

Matt is by far the very best criminal law attorney in our area. If you or someone you love is ever in need of a defense lawyer, Matt should be at the top of your list to contact. I have known and worked with Matt several times now over the past 10 years. At every step of the way Matt has put my interest and goals at the top of his priority list. The opposition must bring their A game when dealing with Matt. He won't let anyone sneak anything by him or allow any last minute surprises. He does his homework, he is professional at every step and he is prepared for anything and everything that comes up along the way. Bottom line...I wouldn't want to or even try to hire anyone else in Portland for this type of work, period. You might be able to find an attorney with a lower hourly rate...but you do get what you pay for. In the end, Matt has had a higher rate from time to time, but has always saved me money versus the competition. His brilliant legal mind and experience alone save hours of billable research that other attorneys and/or firms will inevitably charge you for. Do yourself or your family a favor and seriously consider retaining Matt if you are ever in need of the Very best legal mind that Portland has to offer.

First...I want to say it was Matt's office administrator who started this out so positively for me. When she answered the phone and listened to my frantic phone call she was sincere, empathic, and had a thoughtful confidence in her response to me. I called several lawyers, and every other one had a general "call service" that answered for the attorney - I needed someone to really listen to my plea for help from the first call. Her interaction with me was the determining factor in making that appointment - perhaps other lawyers should take note of this. When I met with Matt, his confidence, directness, and step-by-step process, allowed me to breathe a huge sigh of relief that someone knowledgeable and capable was now on my side. I didn't feel judged, and I felt my case was important to him. Follow-up emails, or phone calls were taken either immediately or returned very quickly. Several times I called in a confused and upset state - each time he walked me back and calmed me down. I never knew how many problems and how unfair our legal process is (even though it is one of the best in the world - it has many flaws), so his calm confidence helped continue to set and reset my expectations of the slow wheels of the justice system. I would highly recommend him to anyone who is in an unfortunate position to need a defense attorney. Believe, me I would have bet everything I had that I'd never be in a position to ever need one. It is scary how little control we have over things and how something or someone can change your life so drastically out of the blue. When that happens, people such as Matt are angels, paid angels, but worth it. Again, from the first call to the last - first class service and great energy!

Matthew McHenry represents me on appeal in a case that I wish I had hired him for at the trial level, because he is a very bright and good lawyer. In fact, "Awesome" is the best way to describe him. I would encourage anyone looking for an awesome trial lawyer to hire him now, rather than after a conviction--because you may avoid the need to file an appeal. He is a person who truly cares about people, and he is very smart. He prepares to win. I find that he is sincere, dedicated, and passionate about helping people dealing with legal crisis, and he is guy you want fighting the battle for you. I recommend him, based on my personal experience, to anyone looking for a criminal defense attorney and/or to file a civil rights claim. Look no further, you found your warrior.