AttorneyMatthew Kaplan
Kaplan Law, LLC
50 SW Pine St #302, Portland, Oregon, 97204
Bay Area Civil Rights Defender
Matthew Kaplan is a civil rights attorney based in Oakland, California, who has dedicated his practice to holding law enforcement agencies and government entities accountable for constitutional violations. With years of experience litigating in federal and state courts, Kaplan has built a reputation as a tenacious advocate for individuals who have suffered at the hands of police misconduct, excessive force, and unlawful government action. His work focuses on vindicating the rights of those who have been wronged by the very institutions entrusted to protect them.
Kaplan's practice encompasses a wide range of civil rights matters, including cases involving police brutality, wrongful death, false arrest, and unlawful detention. He has represented clients in complex civil rights litigation against municipal police departments, county sheriff's offices, and other law enforcement agencies throughout California. His approach combines meticulous case preparation with an aggressive pursuit of accountability, ensuring that his clients receive vigorous representation from investigation through trial.
Practicing out of the Oakland area, Kaplan is well-versed in the unique civil rights landscape of the Bay Area, where police accountability has been a subject of significant public concern and legal scrutiny. He works closely with clients and their families to understand the full scope of the harm they have experienced and to build compelling cases that seek meaningful justice. His commitment to civil rights law reflects a broader dedication to equal justice and the protection of constitutional guarantees for all individuals regardless of background.
Notable Results
- Multiple significant recoveries for victims of police excessive force and wrongful death in Oregon
Key Characteristics
- Meticulous case preparation with deep focus on forensic evidence and body-cam analysis
- Aggressive pursuit of justice combining trial skills with strong negotiation in Oregon state and federal courts
- Decades of experience exclusively representing plaintiffs in civil rights and police misconduct cases in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Focuses on holding law enforcement agencies and municipalities accountable for constitutional violations under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983
- Known for aggressive litigation strategy and willingness to take police misconduct cases to trial
- Serves communities in Oakland and the broader Northern California region that are most affected by law enforcement abuse
- Member of the California civil rights plaintiffs' bar with a practice centered on government accountability
- Focused exclusively on civil rights litigation with an emphasis on police accountability and government misconduct in the Bay Area
- Experienced in litigating complex civil rights cases in both federal and state courts throughout California
- Represents individuals and families who have suffered serious harm including death and serious injury at the hands of law enforcement
- Known for thorough case investigation and aggressive pursuit of accountability against municipal and county law enforcement agencies
- Located in Oakland, California, placing him at the center of one of the most active civil rights legal communities in the country