Matthew LaGarde joined Katz Banks Kumin as a paralegal in October 2011 and became an associate with the firm in August 2016.
Mr. LaGarde focuses his practice on the representation of whistleblowers who have experienced workplace retaliation or wish to report wrongdoing to the government. He has represented numerous clients in claims involving alleged violations of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, the False Claims Act, Title VII, and other whistleblower, anti-retaliation, and anti-discrimination laws in federal and state court and before administrative agencies. Mr. LaGarde co-authored the “Cybersecurity Whistleblower Protection Guide,” an overview of the protections and rewards available to cybersecurity whistleblowers under federal and state law. Mr. LaGarde also served two years as a judicial clerk for Judge George L. Russell, III, at the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
Mr. LaGarde graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maryland School of Law, which he attended while working full-time at the firm. Mr. LaGarde also received the Larry B. Shoa award, given annually to an evening student who has achieved scholastic excellence, and was a member of the editorial board of the Maryland Law Review. Prior to entering the legal field, Mr. LaGarde spent four years as a professional poker player, during which time he competed at the highest levels of tournament poker, including regular appearances at the World Series of Poker, and produced instructional videos for multiple poker training websites.
Publications
- Matthew LaGarde and Alexis Ronickher, “Cybersecurity Whistleblowing in a Pandemic.” Security Magazine (April 28, 2020).
- Matthew LaGarde and Carolyn Wheeler, “Addressing COVID-19 Employee Rights Questions.” Law360 (March 23, 2020).
- Matthew LaGarde, “Avenues of Relief for Cybersecurity Whistleblowers Increase.” Law360 (February 19, 2020).
- Matthew LaGarde, “How Ken Fisher collided with a new finance culture.” Financial Times (November 1, 2019).
- Matthew LaGarde, “Injunctive Relief Standard in Harassment Suits is Fact-Specific.” Law360 (September 23, 2019).
- Matthew LaGarde, “Whistleblower Bill Should Offer More Employee Protections.” Law360 (July 31, 2019).
- Alexis Ronickher and Matthew LaGarde, “Cybersecurity Whistleblower Guide.” (March, 2019).
- Matthew LaGarde, “A Closer Look at SEC’s Whistleblower Proposals.” Law360 (October 25, 2018).
- Michael Filoromo and Matthew LaGarde, “INSIGHT: Leveraging the False Claims Act to Combat Opioid Misuse.” Bloomberg Law (August 2, 2018).
- Matthew LaGarde and Jessica Westerman, “How Will Weinstein Co. Bankruptcy Impact Accusers?” Law360 (June 18, 2018)
- Debra Katz and Matthew LaGarde, “INSIGHT: The Societal Reckoning Caused by the #MeToo Movement Must Now Translate into Legal Reform.” Bloomberg Law (June 6, 2018).
- Matthew LaGarde, “When a SOX Whistleblower Claim Applies Extraterrirorially,” Law360 (September 19, 2017)
- Carolyn L. Wheeler and Matthew LaGarde, “When Employer Rules against Recording may Violate NLRA,” Law360 (August 23, 2017)
- Alexis Ronickher and Matthew LaGarde, “The Stakes in High Court’s Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Case,” Law360 (June 28, 2017)
- Alexis Ronickher and Matthew LaGarde, “Blowing the Whistle as a Cybersecurity Professional,” Security Magazine (May 31, 2017)
- Alexis Ronickher and Matthew LaGarde, “It’s Time to Embrace Cybersecurity Whistleblowers,” Security Magazine (April 11, 2017).
- Michael Filoromo and Matthew LaGarde, “Blowing the Whistle on Fraud in the Health Care Industry.” Westlaw Journal Health Care Fraud (February, 2017).
- Debra Katz and Matthew LaGarde, “OPINION: Employee Political Coercion Protections are Weak,” Law360 (Oct. 18, 2016).
- Lisa Banks and Matthew LaGarde, “When Attorneys and COs Blow the Whistle: Ambiguities and Challenges,” Corporate Compliance Insights (Oct. 7, 2016).
- Lisa Banks and Matthew LaGarde, “Scope of Whistleblower Protection Under Dodd-Frank Remains to Be Seen,” Law.com (June 23, 2016).
- Michael Filoromo and Matthew LaGarde, “Will DTSA Whistleblower Protection Be A Game-Changer?”, Law360 (June 2, 2016).
- Debra Katz and Matthew LaGarde, “A Victory For SOX Whistleblowers In Recent DOL Decision,” Law360 (Apr. 27, 2016).
- Matthew LaGarde, “In re 2012 Legislative Redistricting: Maryland High Court Decision Exemplifies Lackluster Federal Guidance on Redistricting,” 74 Md. L. Rev. 653 (2015).
- Debra Katz and Matthew LaGarde, “4th Circ. Reminds Whistleblowers Of Their Role And Rights,” Law360 (Feb. 10, 2015).
- Debra Katz and Matthew LaGarde, “Another Whistleblower Win For Plaintiffs Bar,” Law360 (June 27, 2013).
- Debra Katz and Matthew LaGarde, “An Important Win for Whistleblowers,” The National Law Journal (Apr. 22, 2013).