Matthew P. Vafidis is a Litigation Section Partner in Holland & Knight's San Francisco office. The leader of the firm's U.S. West Coast Litigation Group, he is also a qualified English Barrister. Mr. Vafidis focuses on commercial, admiralty and international litigation, and alternative dispute resolution, including practice as a mediator and arbitrator. Mr. Vafidis is experienced in a wide range of commercial litigation and arbitration, representing both international and national companies, and regularly provides specialist advice to transportation clients regarding issues relating to international trade and the carriage of goods by sea.
Mr. Vafidis was called to the Bar of England and Wales in July 1979. Initially, he practiced at the criminal defense and civil Bar in London, where he gained intense experience as an advocate before the criminal and county courts in and around London, and before the English High Court. In early 1981, he came to San Francisco, California and joined a large, California-based firm with overseas clients in Europe and the Far East. As an associate and then a partner with that firm, Mr. Vafidis developed and established a national reputation as an admiralty specialist, particularly in the areas of marine pollution and the carriage of goods by sea, and the investigation of a marine casualties. In addition, Mr. Vafidis also handled commercial litigation, including a federal trial involving the performance of windmills, litigation concerning the loss of a commercial aircraft, and various insurance coverage disputes, both marine and non-marine, including significant asbestos, property and cargo loss disputes.
In 1994, Mr. Vafidis became a partner with the internationally renowned admiralty and aviation firm, Haight, Gardner, Poor and Havens, which combined with Holland & Knight in 1997. Since 1994, Mr. Vafidis has developed and expanded his commercial litigation practice, particularly in litigation concerning business losses and disputes over the international sale of goods, his admiralty experience and expertise, including litigation arising from marine pollution and natural resource damages assessments in connection with significant oil spills on the U.S. West Coast, and marine casualty investigation and litigation, ranging from fire and cargo loss to pollution and collision.
For over 15 years, Mr. Vafidis has served as a member of the Federal District Court ADR Panel, participating in over 50 mediations, arbitrations and ADR proceedings as a mediator, arbitrator and neutral. Mr. Vafidis has also served as an arbitrator in AAA, State court, and other proceedings.
As an advocate, Mr. Vafidis has, over the course of his career, personally handled several hundred motions and other significant court appearances, and over 35 trials in state and federal courts, commercial and maritime arbitrations and appeals to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Vafidis has authored articles and lectured in the United States, Europe and the Far East on various topics, including marine pollution, the carriage of goods by sea, arbitration, trial advocacy and billing arrangements. He has taught trial advocacy and judges moot court competitions at local law schools.