gmhTODAY 24 gmhTODAY Feb March 2019 | Page 35

“George HW Bush called the spirit of volunteerism “a thousand points of light.” It is what makes Morgan Hill special, thanks to the selfl ess work of many who want to give back. We want to be that foundation at the heart of the community, to connect donors with needs.” Matt Wendt Attorney Messner Reeves LLP Matt Wendt knew from the time he entered college that he wanted to practice law. Today he is an attorney with Messner Reeves LLP, a national law fi rm whose clients include Chipotle, Kaiser Permanente, US Bank, Level 3 Communications and other organizations from healthcare and entertainment to high tech and fi nance. The Silicon Valley offi ce of Messner Reeves was started in 2017-18 with former attorneys of Robinson and Wood, a fi rm with a 50-year history in San Jose, and Matt joined soon after. Previously he was with Sweeney, Mason, Wilson and Bosomworth in Los Gatos. His practice areas include labor and employment, real estate transactions and litigation, construction law and defect litigation, and corporate and business disputes. Matt’s commitment to community service runs deep. He serves as a Commissioner on the Parks and Recreation Commission for the City of Morgan Hill, and previously served on the General Plan Advisory Committee, which provided guidance on various aspects of the Morgan Hill 2035 General Plan. Matt is a member of the fundraising committee for the Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground Project, which has set up the Magical Bridge Foundation and raised $4.4M for the park. He is a graduate of Leadership Morgan Hill, and a member of the board of the Morgan Hill Community Foundation. Matt received his JD degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and his Bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego. While in law school, he served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Katherine Lucero of the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. He lives in Morgan Hill with his wife, Marilyn, and their three children. 35