Matthew J. Howell

Associate

Recent Publication:

Department of Defense Publishes Final Rule on Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification [Alert]

The DoD's long-awaited Final Rule for the CMMC program introduces new cybersecurity requirements for almost all DoD contracts.

Matt focuses his practice on advising U.S. and foreign clients on a wide array of regulatory matters concerning antitrust, foreign investment, national security, and trade regulation. Additionally, Matt works with clients from a number of industries concerning government regulatory matters, including government investigations, mergers and acquisitions, general government contracting matters, and trade export regulations.

Matt’s antitrust practice includes routinely working with clients in drafting Hart-Scott-Rodino filings in preparation for mergers and acquisitions, responding to requests for information from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and assisting clients with developing and implementing antitrust compliance programs. Matt also has experience navigating the intersection between domestic and international competition law regimes as they relate to international shipping practices, and has regularly represented ocean common carriers and their cooperative arrangements before the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). In this vein, Matt also represents domestic and foreign maritime clients relating to transactions and financing for oceangoing vessels, including coordination with vessel registries both in the United States and internationally.

Within his government contracts practice, Matt advises clients on compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, and other regulatory items incorporated into federal or state contracts. Matt represents clients in a broad range of industries spanning maritime, defense, health care, information technology, autonomous vehicles, and security services. He frequently prosecutes and defends bid protests before federal agencies such as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as well as state and local entities, and assists transaction parties in due diligence processes that are unique to government contractor-related acquisitions.

In his international trade work, Matt regularly advises and represents clients in matters before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a multi-agency group with the statutory authority to review and block proposed transactions and investments for national security reasons. He also has experience in matters relating to U.S. economic sanctions and export control laws, as administered by the Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC) and the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

Matt received his J.D., summa cum laude, order of the coif, from Temple University Beasley School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics from La Salle University. While at Temple Law, Matt was a staff editor of the Temple Law Review and a Law and Public Policy scholar.

Experience

News

Cozen O’Connor Assists Wayve Technologies in Obtaining CFIUS Clearance for Landmark U.K. Investment

July 23, 2024

Cozen O’Connor represented Wayve Technologies, a developer of autonomous vehicle technology, in clearing a review of a $1.05 billion Series C round of funding with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Legal 500 Recognizes Seven Cozen O’Connor Practice Areas and 16 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its 2024 Legal Guide

July 10, 2024

The Legal 500 United States named Cozen O’Connor’s Aviation, Construction, Immigration, Insurance, Maritime, and Mergers & Acquisitions practices and Cozen O’Connor attorneys Scott Bettridge, Raymond DeLuca, Michael Deutsch, Geoffrey Ferrer, Bruce Ficken, Jonathon Foglia, David Heffernan, Matthew Howell, James Kwartnik, Robert Magovern, Jeffrey Mullen, Patrick Rizzi, Rachel Schwartz, Josh Stein, Jeff Vogel, and Rachel Welford to its 2024 Legal Guide.

Cozen O’Connor Serves as U.S. Counsel to Cogne Acciai Speciali SpA on Definitive Agreement to Acquire Capital Stock of Mannesmann Stainless Tubes GmbH

March 05, 2024

Mannesmann has operations and operating plants throughout the United States as well as in Germany, France, and Italy. The transaction is valued at €135 million.

Legal 500 Recognizes Six Cozen O’Connor Practice Areas and 16 Attorneys in its 2023 Guide

July 10, 2023

Cozen O'Connor's Aviation (Litigation/Regulation), Construction, L&E, M&A (Midmarket), Shipping (Finance and Litigation/Regulation) practices were ranked by the Legal 500.

Matthew Howell Appointed an American Bar Association Adviser to the Uniform State Laws Study Committee on Antitrust

February 25, 2022

Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce that Matthew Howell, an associate in the firm’s Transportation & Trade Group, has been appointed by the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association (ABA) to serve as an adviser to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (ULC) Study Committee on Antitrust.

Publications

Department of Defense Publishes Final Rule on Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification [Alert]

October 21, 2024

The DoD's long-awaited Final Rule for the CMMC program introduces new cybersecurity requirements for almost all DoD contracts.

State Department Proposes Amendment to ITAR, Aiming to Bolster AUKUS Partnership [Alert]

May 02, 2024

The U.S. State Department's proposed rule would reduce International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) licensing requirements for the transfer of defense articles or services between the U.S., Australia, and the U.K.

New FAR Part 40 Established to Centralize Supply Chain and Information Security Requirements [Alert]

April 22, 2024

Eric Leonard, Matt Howell, and Rachel Schwartz discuss the DoD, GSA, and NASA's Final Rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

Proposed CFIUS Rules Affirm Evolution and Growth of Review Process, Expansion of Penalties [Alert]

April 12, 2024

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) issued a proposed update expanding its mitigation and enforcement provisions and increasing the maximum penalties.

Federal Maritime Commission Charges Forward with Interim Procedures for OSRA 22 Complaints [Alert]

December 05, 2022

The FMC released “Interim Procedures for Processing Charge Complaints” filed with the Commission under the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022.

Congress, GAO Set Their Focus on Cargo Preference Fixes [Maritime Logistics Professionals]

November 04, 2022

Jeff Vogel and Matthew Howell contributed an article for Maritime Logistics Professionals discussing the recent hearing from the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I Committee) and Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

With Signs of Enforcement on Horizon, CFIUS Releases Penalty Guidelines

October 24, 2022

CFIUS' new set of guidelines point to a potentially heightened enforcement environment in their efforts to protect U.S. national security interests.

California Steams Past FMC on Detention and Demurrage Prohibitions [Alert]

October 06, 2022

The new bill marks an inflection point in an era of increased regulatory scrutiny of maritime practices, particularly detention and demurrage (D&D) charges.

Biden Administration Significantly Expands CFIUS National Security Factors [Alert]

September 21, 2022

President Biden signed an Executive Order connecting the work of the CFIUS to national security aims beyond the traditional defense industrial base.

In or Out? House Pressures Federal Contractors to Exit Russian Market

April 14, 2022

The House's Federal Contracting for Peace and Security Act would prohibit federal contractors from continuing to do business in the Russian Federation.

White House Task Force: Covered Employees of Federal Contractors Must Be Vaccinated by December 8 [Alert]

September 28, 2021

Robert Magovern and Matthew Howell discuss the guidance for federal contractors and subcontractors pursuant to President Biden’s Executive Order 14042.

Harmony at Last? – Coast Guard Takes Steps to Embrace State Titling Laws [Alert]

September 23, 2021

Geoffrey Ferrer, Jeff Vogel, and Matt Howell discuss a recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) published by the U.S. Coast Guard

What Federal Contractors Need to Know About the Biden Administration’s Vaccine Mandate

September 16, 2021

Matt Howell and Bob Magovern discuss what Biden's September 9, 2021, executive order means for federal contractors.

New Executive Order Requires Many Federal Contractors to Increase Minimum Wage for Workers by 2022 [Alert]

April 28, 2021

Bob Magovern and Matt Howell discuss Biden's executive order increasing the minimum wage for federal contactors.

U.S. Announces Sweeping New Sanctions Targeting Russia [Alert]

April 21, 2021

Wayne Rohde, Robert Magovern and Matthew Howell discuss Executive Order 14024 imposing new sanctions on the Russian Federation in response to foreign election interference in the 2020 U.S. federal election and the SolarWinds cyberattack aimed at various U.S. federal agencies.

New Rule Bans Federal Contractors from Using Chinese Telecom Equipment [Alert]

August 19, 2020

Bob Magovern and Matt Howell discuss an interim final rule published by the Federal Acquisition Regulations Council that prohibits the use of certain telecommunications equipment produced by Chinese entities such as Huawei, ZTE, and Hikvision, among others by federal contractors.

Amid Global Supply Concerns, Trump EO Seeks to Increase Domestic Fishing and Aquaculture Production [Alert]

May 20, 2020

Jeff Vogel, Matt Howell, and Anne Mickey discuss the Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth that seeks to reduce the need for imported seafood, which makes up roughly 85 percent of consumption in the United States.

Congressional Oversight Report on CARES Act Funding — Not Much to Oversee Here (Yet)

May 19, 2020

Jeff Vogel, Matt Howell, Evan Berquist, and Jason Kreps discuss the programs and facilities announced by the Fed and Treasury to disburse the $500 billion in funding for lending to businesses and to state and local governments in hopes of stabilizing the economy in the short-and long-term and questions related to the $75 billion allocated to the Main Street Lending Facilities.

Federal Reserve Provides Greater Access, and Clarity, to the Main Street Lending Program [Alert]

April 30, 2020

Jeff Vogel, Matt Howell, Evan Berquist, and Jason Kreps summarize the Federal Reserve's Expansion of the Main Street Lending Program.

Financial Relief Arrives for Small and Mid-Size Businesses [Alert]

April 09, 2020

Jeff Vogel, Matt Howell, Evan Berquist, and Jason Kreps discuss the additional $600 billion in loans, terms of the loans, and which businesses are eligible.

Summary and Analysis of Key Provisions of the CARES Act

March 28, 2020

Members of Cozen O'Connor's Coronavirus Task Force provide analysis of the CARES Act and how it will impact small businesses, distressed industries, employers and employees, taxes, and the health care, real estates, and energy industries.

Antitrust Agencies Offer COVID-19 Guidance and Warnings to Competitor Collaborations [Alert]

March 27, 2020

Robert K. Magovern and Matthew Howell discuss the DOJ's and FTC's joint statement pertaining to the enforcement of competition laws during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DOT Clarifies its Enforcement Policy Regarding Coronavirus [Alert]

March 06, 2020

Rachel Welford discusses DOT's “Enforcement Notice Regarding Denying Boarding by Airlines of Individuals Suspected of Having Coronavirus.”

Shipping 2020 [Chambers Global Practice Guide]

March 05, 2020

Marc Fink and Matthew Howell contributed the introductory chapter to the Chambers 2020 Shipping Guide, discussing the issues that the shipping industry will face in 2020.

Industry Sectors

Education

  • Temple University—James E. Beasley School of Law, J.D., 2018
  • La Salle University, B.A., 2014

Awards & Honors

The Legal 500 United States "Rising Star" for Transport: Shipping Litigation & Regulation 2023, 2024

Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2023

  • District of Columbia
  • Pennsylvania

American Bar Association

ABA, Uniform Law Antitrust Study Committee