Better Together

At Bradley, our attorneys understand that legal matters are more than contests of critical thought; they have real-world implications, which is why we prioritize integrity. It is this integrity that inspires all of us to go above and beyond our clients’ expectations by providing innovative solutions, dependable responsiveness and a deep commitment to success.

practice is just how data-driven your clients are,” Cairns says. “From this perspective, I have certainly started to appreciate the importance of the outside law firms we work with having data to support their evaluations of cases and jurisdictions.” Cairns is working to educate Textron’s outside counsel on the need to provide that data and to be ready to report on key statistics—such as average settlement costs or product liability claims in a given county in a given time period—that can help Textron’s legal team assemble and assess its own strategy.

Cairns has also endeavored to improve Textron’s legal processes. That has included helping to revise billing guidelines, working to redefine the roles of paralegals and assistants, and using technology to better connect with outside counsel. Internally, he has striven to better collect, maintain, and evaluate information. “A closed file is a good file,” Cairns says of the product liability work he oversees. “What we’re trying to do is figure out more efficient ways to get from the notice of claim to the closed file.” bradley.com

Getting to a closed file might mean early resolution—or it may mean going to trial. “We’re always looking for an exit ramp off the [trial] highway, but sometimes you wind up having to just barrel down the road,” Cairns says.

While improving litigation processes is certainly aided by Cairns’s extensive experience, when it comes to the business of Textron, the lawyer says there is a learning curve. “I’m learning from the finance and insurance departments all the time,” Cairns says. “Just learning about the business is so important because litigation is just a small part of it. You have to figure out how it fits into the overall company objective, particularly with a company as diversified as Textron.”

And while it seems that after thirty years of private practice work old habits would die hard, Cairns says he learned a long time ago that defining a win is a lot more than winning a case. “I once lost a case where the plaintiff was asking for a million dollars and they got three thousand instead,” Cairns illustrates. “In all objective measures, even though it says we lost, we won.” Developing his own success metrics at Textron means learning to be more agile, gaining familiarity with the organization, and continuing to find ways to put his thirty-one years of defense experience to work.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP:

“I’ve known Matt for more than twenty years—his approach to litigation is strategic, collaborative, and innovative. He’s always available to mentor young lawyers and does so graciously. It’s an honor to work with Matt.”

—Chuck Stewart, Partner

Nelson Mullins:

“Matt brings an intellectual curiosity to his work, but he also focuses on practical solutions. He manages his outside counsel team to maximize their specific strengths and deliver efficient and effective results for Textron.”

—John Kuppens, Partner

Ameen Haddad Assistant General Counsel, Technology, Intellectual Property & Cloud Computing Oracle