About Matthew Charles
Matthew Charles Trapani took a practical path to the courtroom. He studied marketing at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, before turning to law at Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law. Those classroom years gave him the tools he would use at the center of his work.
Early in his legal career Trapani served as a judicial law clerk in Centre County in 2006. That clerkship placed him inside the local court system and exposed him to the rhythms of litigation and the mechanics of judicial decision-making. He carried that experience into private practice and into appellate work. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Trapani’s practice has two clear threads. One is trial work on behalf of individuals who have suffered major injuries or lost family members. The other is running a small, client-facing law office that handles those cases from investigation through litigation when necessary. He operates under the Trapani Law Office name as well as the Trapani Wrongful Death Law Office, reflecting how his caseload is organized and presented to prospective clients.
Among his professional affiliations, Trapani is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and is listed as a Multi Million Dollar Advocate by that organization. That designation recognizes lawyers who have been involved in large verdicts or settlements. He has been associated with the Million Dollar Advocates Forum in a lifetime capacity since 2016.
People who have followed his work note the emphasis he places on preparation. He prepares cases for trial, often gathering medical records, consulting experts, and testing legal theories in pretrial practice. His courtroom experience and clerkship background inform how he frames disputes for judges and juries. He has handled matters in state court and has taken appeals where federal appellate review was required.
Trapani balances litigation duties with the administrative responsibilities of running a small firm. He manages client intake, case strategy, and the business functions that keep a local practice active. He spends most of his time on wrongful death and serious personal injury matters, practicing primarily in Pennsylvania. His current practice centers on wrongful death and related personal injury litigation.
