About Matthew P.
Matthew P. Quilter built his foundation at two Ivy League schools. He earned a B.A. from Princeton University in 1974 and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1982. Those credentials preceded a long career practicing law in California.
After law school Quilter entered private practice and went on to serve at Fenwick & West LLP. Over the years he has practiced under California rules of professional responsibility and represented clients before state tribunals and in transactional matters. He has been part of the legal community in Silicon Valley and the broader Bay Area, where colleagues and clients have engaged him on a range of corporate and commercial legal issues.
Quilter’s work reflects the steady, everyday demands of business law rather than courtroom drama. He has handled client counseling, contract negotiations, and regulatory compliance tasks that require careful attention to detail. His background provides a steady hand for companies that need clear legal thinking and practical problem solving. He is comfortable drafting and reviewing agreements, advising boards and executives, and helping steer organizations through routine and complex legal questions.
Education and experience have shaped his approach. Princeton gave him a liberal arts grounding; Penn Law supplied the legal training. That mix shows in the way he frames legal problems: analytically, but with an eye toward workable solutions. Colleagues describe him as methodical in his analysis and deliberate in his recommendations.
At Fenwick & West LLP Quilter has been part of a team advising business clients across a variety of sectors. He has worked alongside practitioners in corporate, transactional, and regulatory work. He remains licensed in California and maintains active involvement in day-to-day practice matters that affect privately held and publicly traded enterprises.
Outside the office he has maintained connections to the legal community through ongoing professional activity. Over a multi-decade career he has watched the legal issues confronting businesses evolve. He has adapted his practice to reflect changes in technology, finance, and regulation while keeping to basic legal craftsmanship.
Quilter’s current practice is based in California and centers on advising corporate clients and their leaders on transactional and compliance matters at Fenwick & West LLP.
