Matt Paavola, Board Member

Matt Paavola was born and raised in a working class neighborhood in East Baltimore. Coming from a blue collar family, he has a deep-rooted affection for labor rights. Matt now resides in Baltimore County with his wife, Lisa, where they raised their three daughters, Jordan, Kirsti, and Kati. They are active with Grace Fellowship Church of Timonium.

A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law, Matt began the practice of law in the Essex area in 1982. He founded his own firm in 1986 and created Workers’ Comp Law Firm, LLC which he owned up through 2023. Matt now operates his own solo practice.

Matt has tried cases at virtually every level of Maryland's judicial system, from the various courts of original jurisdiction to the Court of Appeals of Maryland. He has also been involved in a great deal of federal litigation. Matt's greatest source of pride is his trial skills in workers’ compensation law. He has tried well over 2,000 Workers' Compensation cases and appeals.

Matt is a member in good standing of the Maryland Association for Justice (formerly the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association). The thrust of his focus has been workers' compensation legislation that improves the status of the injured worker. He was nominated and elected to the Board of Governors in 2000 and retired in 2005 when he received the MAJ prestigious Defender of Justice Award.