Mr. Boylan, or "Matty" as he was known to his contemporaries, joined the firm in 1969, when its offices were at 744 Broad Street in Newark. During his near 40-year career with Lowenstein Sandler, he was one of the driving forces of its growth into one of the largest and most respected law firms in the state.  Mr. Boylan was on everyone's short list of trial lawyers, sought after by the government, major corporations and individuals to handle their most important criminal and civil cases.  His command of the facts and law, and quick wit, always served his clients well, whether he was appearing before a judge, jury or administrative agency.  His clients at the firm included Fortune 500 companies in the pharmaceutical, chemical and communications industries, and also small shop owners and individuals faced with some injustice, whom he always found time to represent without expectation of payment.

Before joining Lowenstein Sandler, Mr. Boylan served as an Assistant United States Attorney,  receiving a special commendation from then-Attorney General Robert Kennedy for the first successful prosecution of a high-ranking official of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. In 1969, Mr. Boylan was appointed Special Prosecutor for murder trials in Passaic County, and in 1972 he was appointed by New Jersey Attorney General George Kugler, on the recommendation of Chief Justice Weintraub of the NJ Supreme Court, to prosecute a sitting State Cabinet officer. Mr. Boylan served as Director of the Division of Criminal Justice of the State of New Jersey during 1974 and 1975. After his return to Lowenstein Sandler, he was appointed to defend an accused Russian spy in a criminal trial in the United States District Court. Mr. Boylan was also a founding member of the New Jersey Trial Attorney Certification Board (1980 to 1984) and was elected a Fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers (1985) and the American Bar Foundation (1992).

A native of Newark, Mr. Boylan resided in Wyckoff, New Jersey, with his wife Daryl at the time of his death. He earned an L.L.B. from Harvard University Law School and an A.B. cum laude from the College of the Holy Cross.

A generous colleague and friend, Mr. Boylan always made time to help other lawyers at the firm with whatever legal issue was troubling them.  He was especially known for his mentorship of young litigators, whom he helped nurture by involving them in high-profile cases that would provide them an early opportunity to demonstrate their talents and make a name for themselves in the wider legal community.  Mr. Boylan's interest in others extended to secretaries and other staff; he rarely walked down the hall without stopping to inquire about the health of a family member who might be under the weather, or to exclaim about the latest baby photo.  Moreover, he could be counted on to arrive with pizzas when others were working late, or when the press of work made them miss lunch.  The Irish soda bread he always brought in for Saint Patrick's Day was also a great hit.

Matthew Boylan made invaluable contributions to the firm, the legal industry and his community. He will be greatly missed.

A Funeral Mass for Mr. Boylan will be celebrated at Noon on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 787 Franklin Lake Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in Mr. Boylan’s memory to Doctors Without Borders or Save the Children.

About Lowenstein Sandler
Lowenstein Sandler is a nationally recognized corporate law firm with offices in Boston, New York, Palo Alto and Roseland, with approximately 255 attorneys providing a full range of legal services. The firm’s commitment to its clients is demonstrated through its client-centered, service-oriented culture. Lowenstein Sandler attorneys are regularly recognized for excellence by clients and peers in national publications, including Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and The Legal 500.

 


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