Matt Menezes

Overview

Matt Menezes is an associate in Crowell & Moring’s San Francisco office, where he practices in the Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Group and the Litigation Group. Matt is a counselor and a litigator whose practice focuses on federal regulations, renewable energy development, and on privacy and data integrity. Prior to joining Crowell & Moring, Matt attended Berkeley Law, where he worked as a tenant rights advocate at the East Bay Community Law Center Housing Clinic, as a law clerk at Equal Rights Advocates, and as an extern at the District Court for the Northern District of California.

Through his clinical work, Matt developed a reputation among supervisors, peers, and clients for his “bedside manner,” quickly developing close and trusting relationships and a candid rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds. At Equal Rights Advocates, Matt produced counseling documents, briefs, and research memos to advance legislative and organizing campaigns as well as litigation. At the District Court, Matt prepared Memoranda of Disposition and draft orders that advanced or resolved cases pending before the court.

Before practicing law, Matt worked as an advertiser, organizer, and communications specialist. At Ampush, a digital marketing agency, he managed customer acquisition campaigns and facilitated the firm’s partnerships with platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to develop advertising technology. Matt then developed content and digital distribution strategies for NextGen Climate for its Pennsylvania state campaign during the final months of the 2016 election.

After the 2016 election, Matt worked at Tipping Point Community, a San Francisco-based foundation with a mission to fight poverty in the Bay Area. Matt first helped modernize Tipping Point’s digital communications presence and strategy, then served as Communications Manager for the Chronic Homelessness Initiative. From 2017-2022, this public-private partnership with the City of San Francisco helped reduce the number of San Franciscans experiencing long-term, cyclical homelessness and piloted new strategies to prevent homelessness and increase the availability of permanent supportive housing.

Career & Education

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Legal Experience

District Court for the Northern District of California – Judicial Extern, Aug 2022 – Dec 2022

Equal Rights Advocates – Law Clerk, May 2021 – Aug 2021

East Bay Community Law Center – Housing Clinic Student Advocate, Aug 2021 – May 2022; Tenants’ Rights Workshop Co-Lead, May 2021 – May 2022

Ecology Law Quarterly – Member, Jan 2020 – May 2023

Professional Experience

Tipping Point Community – Communications Manager, Chronic Homelessness Initiative, June 2019 - July 2020; Senior Associate, Digital Engagement, April 2017 - June 2019

NextGen Climate – Digital Organizer, Sept 2016 - Nov 2016

Ampush Media – Product Communications Lead, Dec 2015 - Sept 2016; Senior Media Analyst, Aug 2014 - Dec 2015
Legal Experience
- District Court for the Northern District of California – Judicial Extern, Aug 2022 – Dec 2022
- Equal Rights Advocates – Law Clerk, May 2021 – Aug 2021
- East Bay Community Law Center – Housing Clinic Student Advocate, Aug 2021 – May 2022; Tenants’ Rights Workshop Co-Lead, May 2021 – May 2022
- Ecology Law Quarterly – Member, Jan 2020 – May 2023
Professional Experience
- Tipping Point Community – Communications Manager, Chronic Homelessness Initiative, June 2019 - July 2020; Senior Associate, Digital Engagement, April 2017 - June 2019
- NextGen Climate – Digital Organizer, Sept 2016 - Nov 2016
- Ampush Media – Product Communications Lead, Dec 2015 - Sept 2016; Senior Media Analyst, Aug 2014 - Dec 2015
University of California, Berkeley School of Law, J.D., 2023
University of Virginia, Masters, Public Policy, 2014
University of Virginia, B.A., Government, 2013
- University of California, Berkeley School of Law, J.D., 2023
- University of Virginia, Masters, Public Policy, 2014
- University of Virginia, B.A., Government, 2013
California
- California

Matt's Insights

Blog Post | 12.09.24

State AG Blog Updates: November 21-27, 2024

Blog Post | 11.04.24
Weekly Update of State Attorneys General Actions and Announcements: October 3–16, 2025
Client Alert | 6 min read | 09.26.24
The Expanding Landscape of Plastic Litigation: State Attorneys General Target Allegedly Deceptive Advertising and Environmental Impacts
Publication | 09.06.24
The State Law Landscape After Justices' Social Media Ruling

View All Insights

Representative Matters

Prepared a waiver request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a renewable energy developer seeking to extend its Commercial Operation Date under the applicable Tariff in order to allow time to resolve local permit litigation.
Under supervision of clinical attorneys at East Bay Community Law Center, I defended a formerly unhoused Vietnam War veteran facing eviction from his affordable housing complex. I coordinated with his care providers at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and local nonprofit partners, prepared reasonable accommodation letters under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and negotiated with plaintiff’s counsel to resolve the eviction suit.
Under supervision of attorneys at Equal Rights Advocates, I prepared educational materials to help a California Unified School District comply with a consent decree requiring that they affirm students’ gender expression in their participation in school activities, as required under Cal. Ed. Code § 221.5.