Matthew J. Wilson
Associate Professor of Law
B.S., University of Utah (1995)
B.A., University of Utah (1995)
J.D., Temple University Beasley School of Law (1999)
mwilso37@uwyo.edu • (307) 766-3663 • 114 College of Law

Office Hours:
By appointment or drop in any time. If my door is closed, please feel free to knock and come in.

In 2009, Professor Matthew J. Wilson was appointed to the University of Wyoming College of Law faculty as an associate professor of law. From 2003-2009, Professor Wilson served as an associate professor of law for Temple University Beasley School of Law. During this period, he was based in Japan where he taught E-commerce law, international business transactions, international dispute resolution, Japanese law, international law, and civil procedure. Professor Wilson also concurrently served as Senior Associate Dean and General Counsel of Temple University's 3,000 student campus in Tokyo, Japan. In these capacities, Professor Wilson oversaw academic, administrative, and legal matters related to all undergraduate, graduate, professional, and non-degree programs.

In teaching University of Wyoming students, Professor Wilson draws upon 20 years of international experience in legal, business, and educational matters in the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Before joining Temple University, Professor Wilson practiced law at Akerman Senterfitt P.A., a major Florida-based law firm, and as former general counsel for a telecommunications/Internet firm. As legal counsel to domestic and multinational corporations, Professor Wilson's legal activities have encompassed complex commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation and transactions, cyberspace law, employment law, as well as general corporate matters. He also has extensive business experience working in Japan with a large electronics manufacturer, hydrological and meteorological instruments maker, and a multinational medical devices company.

Professor Wilson speaks frequently in the United States and Japan on transnational and domestic U.S. legal matters, and has appeared on primetime network television in Asia as a legal expert on several occasions. He has also guest lectured about the practice of international law at over ninety U.S. law schools. From 2004-2009, Professor Wilson also served as an active advisor to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) regarding proposed judicial reforms and the implementation of jury trials in Japan in 2009.

Teaching:
International Business Law, Intellectual Property Law, e-Commerce Law, Torts, International Dispute Resolution, Comparative Law, Japanese Law, and Civil Procedure

Publications:

Current Publications

Wilson, M. (2009).  Art of Trial Advocacy, in Trial Advocacy Techniques (Second Edition Nihon Hyoronsha 2009).

Wilson, M. (2008).  Foreword: Keys for Corporate Legal Departments to Respond to Globalization, Business Law Journal (Lexis-Nexis August 2008).

Wilson, M. (2007).  The Dawn of Criminal Jury Trials in Japan: Success on the Horizon?, 24 Wis. Int'l L.J. 835 (2007).

Wilson, M. (2007).  Art of Trial Advocacy, in Trial Advocacy Techniques (Nihon Hyoronsha 2007).

Wilson, M. (2006).  Effective Advocacy: The Dawn of Criminal Jury Trials in Japan, Liberty & Justice (Jiyu to Seigi) Japan Federation B. Ass'ns J. (May 2006).

Wilson, M. (2005).  Failed Attempt to Undermine the Third Wave: Attorney Fee Shifting Movement in Japan, 19 Emory Int'l L. Rev. 1457 (2005).

Wilson, M. (2005).  Japan, in Governments of the World (Macmillan Press 2005).

Wilson, M. (2004).  Civil Litigation: Dangers of Shifting Attorneys' Fees to Non-Prevailing Parties, Asahi Newspaper, October 2, 2004.

Wilson, M. (2004).  E-Toransu, Skills-Based Legal Education: The Next "Tsunami" in Japan (June 2004).

Wilson, M. (2004).  Investigative Report on Attorney Fees Shifting in the United States, co-authored with Satomi Ushijima, Esq. of the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations. This report was presented to Japanese Diet members in conjunction with proposed legislation on attorney fee shifting.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Report Concerning Attorney Fee Shifting to Non-Prevailing Litigants -- Essence of Fee Shifting and Invalidating Unreasonable Attorney Fee Agreements under American Law -- Dangers of Allowing Fee Shifting Agreements, Liberty & Justice (Jiyu to Seigi) Japan Fed. Bar Assoc. J. (October 2004).

International Education Presentations

Wilson, M. (2009).  Presenter, "American Legal Education and Preparing for a U.S. Bar Examination," sponsored by Tokyo Legal Minds. Tokyo, Japan, August 1, 2009.

Wilson, M. (2008).  Presenter, "Current Issues and Opportunities in International Affairs and Politics" sponsored by the Tokyo Metropolitan International High School. Tokyo, Japan, June 2008.

Wilson, M. (2008).  Presenter, "Keys to International Careers and International Education," sponsored by Gakuen High School. Ichikawa, Japan, November 2008.

Wilson, M. (2008).  Panelist, "Internationalization of Education in Japan," sponsored by the Minato Ward Government Education Committee. Tokyo, Japan, July 2008.

Wilson, M. (2008).  Presenter, "American Legal Education and Preparing for a U.S. Bar Examination," sponsored by Tokyo Legal Minds. Tokyo, Japan, July 2008.

Wilson, M. (2006).  Presenter, "Keys to Internationalizing Education in Japan and University Exchanges," sponsored by the Japan Study Abroad Association [NPO Ryugaku Kyokai] in conjunction with the Association's Fifteenth Research Symposium. Tokyo, Japan, January 2006.

Wilson, M. (2006).  Presenter, "Preparing for Graduate Studies in the United States," sponsored by the U.S.-Japan Fulbright Commission. Tokyo, Japan, May 2006.

Wilson, M. (2005).  Presenter, "Preparing for Graduate Studies in the United States," sponsored by the U.S.-Japan Fulbright Commission. Tokyo, Japan, May 2005.

Wilson, M. (2005).  Presenter, "Insights into U.S. Law School Academics and Administration," at Ryukkyu University School of Law sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate of Okinawa. Okinawa, Japan, July 2005.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Presenter, "From Campus to Career" sponsored by Brigham Young University Hawaii. Laie, Hawaii, September 2004.

Legal Presentations

Wilson, M. (2009).  Presenter, "Japan's New Lay Judge System: How will this extraordinary change affect Japan and Japanese society." Given as part of the Minato Ward University Lecture Series, Tokyo, Japan, May 26, 2009.

Wilson, M. (2009).  Presenter, "Developing Changes and Challenges to the Japanese Criminal Justice System," sponsored by The Office of the Staff Judge Advocate for United States Forces at its Law Day Symposium for the Japanese Ministry of Justice and local legal community. Tokyo, Japan, May 29, 2009.

Wilson, M. (2009).  Presenter, "Ethics in Negotiations," sponsored by the Association of Kansai Attorneys Registered Abroad. Tokyo, Japan, May 21, 2009.

Wilson, M. (2009).  Presenter, "Thoughts and Insights about Recent Changes in Japan," sponsored by Minato International Association, Tokyo, Japan, July 4, 2009.

Wilson, M. (2003-ongoing).  Presenter, "Distinguishing Yourself through International Opportunities," lectured on international law and various academic/vocational opportunities in this field about 150 times at over 90 U.S. law schools.

Wilson M. (2008).  Panelist, "Developments, Progress, and Setbacks in Japanese Laws and Practice" sponsored by the Roppongi Bar Association, Tokyo, Japan, November 13, 2008.

Wilson, M. (2008).  Presenter, "Trial Advocacy Techniques and Relevance to the New Japanese Jury System," sponsored by The Office of the Staff Judge Advocate for United States Forces at its Law Day Symposium for the Japanese Ministry of Justice and local legal community. Tokyo, Japan, July 2008.

Wilson, M. (2007).  Organizer and Presenter. "The Challenges of American Litigation – A Primer for Japanese Legal Staff Managing Litigation in the United States: Ethics and Confidential Communications." American Bar Association Conference, Tokyo, Japan, December 5, 2007.

Wilson, M. (2006).  Presenter, "Judicial Reform and Employing More Lawyers in Japan," sponsored by the Tokyo Bar Association New Lawyer Employment Committee. Tokyo, Japan, October 2006.

Wilson, M. (2006).  Organizer and Presenter, "Jury Trial Advocacy Techniques Part II," sponsored by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. Conducted a jury trial advocacy technique training seminar for over 1000 criminal defense attorneys in preparation for Japan's new implementation of jury trials. Tokyo, Japan, July 7, 2006.

Wilson, M. (2005).  Organizer and Presenter, "Jury Trial Advocacy Techniques," sponsored by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. Conducted a jury trial advocacy technique training seminar for over 300 criminal defense attorneys in preparation for Japan's new implementation of jury trials. Tokyo, Japan, November 1, 2005.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Presenter, "Understanding the Problems Associated with Attorney Fee Shifting in Japan," sponsored by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations at Symposium on Judicial Reform in Japan. Tokyo, Japan, May 2004.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Presenter, "Value of International Legal Education," sponsored by Babel University Professional School of Translation. Tokyo, Japan, May 2004.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Presenter, "Seeking Alternatives to Loser Pays Fee-Shifting System," sponsored by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations at Symposium on Judicial Reform in Japan. Tokyo, Japan, October 2004.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Participant and Workshop Co-Director, "Australasian and Global Perspectives for Japanese Law Reform Processes: Legal Education, Commercial Regulation, and Beyond" Conference held by Australian Network for Japanese Law at Doshisha University. Kyoto, Japan, November 2004.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Presenter, "Dispute Resolution and Arbitration in Japan" sponsored by the Foreign Women Lawyers' Association. Tokyo, Japan, November 2004.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Presenter, "When is a Lie, Not a Lie: Ethics of Negotiation" sponsored by Skadden Arps Law Firm. Tokyo, Japan, February 2004.

Wilson, M. (2004).  Presenter, "Keys to Receiving Cost Efficient Legal Services" sponsored by Temple University, Japan Campus. Tokyo, Japan, January 2004.

Wilson, M. (2003).  Presenter, "Pitfalls of U.S. Litigation," sponsored by Tokyo Rotary Club. Tokyo, Japan, October 2003.

Wilson, M. (2000).  Presenter, "Emerging IP Property Issues in Medicine" sponsored by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, October 2000.