Brady & Hamilton’s greatest asset is its people, and we’d love to help you get to know them. For this attorney spotlight, we caught up with Matt Harriger, a partner in our Austin office.
What do you think is the most challenging thing about practicing law?
Knowing when to stop. When arguing a point of law or fact to a judge, jury, or panel of special commissioners, knowing when you’ve made your point and need to move on is a tricky balance. I’ve made both mistakes, not arguing enough on the one hand and beating a dead horse on the other. Successful persuasion often requires repetition, but the art in our craft is finding a way to reinforce the argument and not belabor it.
What led you to practice eminent domain litigation?
When I first started practicing law, I was at a litigation boutique and spent the bulk of my time litigating property tax values. Partially because of that experience, I was recruited to the Texas Attorney General’s office to represent TxDOT in eminent domain proceedings. After 13 years of litigating property values, I came to Brady & Hamilton – Womack McClish, and have loved every minute. Representing landowners is great because you meet so many good people and learn about so many incredible properties. The legal presumption that all properties are unique has proven very true in my experience.
Away from work, how do you like to spend your time?
I love living life with my beautiful wife, rambunctious twins, and loyal but unruly black lab. Family life can feel like a circus sometimes, but I can’t imagine doing life without them. Near the top of my list is spending time with family and friends at our family’s cabin in the Palo Duro Canyon, where kids run as wild as the dogs, and sometimes the parents too.
What’s your favorite local restaurant, and why?
To satisfy my taco habit, it’s El Chilito. Their roasted salsa is the best. For a nice meal or special occasion, it’s Justine’s Brasserie. They have exquisite food and spin real vinyl on a record player.
What’s your favorite movie to watch over and over again?
Lonesome Dove. Hands down. Period. End of story. Some will quibble that Lonesome Dove is a television mini-series and not a movie. While technically accurate, come on man, it’s one of the greatest movies ever made.