Mateo Forero is an attorney with the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates, where he represents individuals who suffer from vaccine-related injuries. In this role, Mateo practices before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims litigating complex vaccine litigation matters filed under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Mateo’s work involves securing compensation for individuals suffering from vaccine-related injuries such as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), brachial neuritis, transverse myelitis, and other serious medical conditions. Mateo also works to secure substantial damages awards for individuals suffering from SIRVA (shoulder injury related to vaccine administration).
Prior to joining the firm, Mateo was a litigator at a boutique law firm specialized in political law. While there, he represented government entities, political organizations, and candidates in cases involving redistricting disputes, ballot access petitions, First Amendment challenges to voting regulations, and election contests. He also authored appellate briefs on behalf of parties and amici curiae before the U.S. Supreme Court, the federal Courts of Appeal, and several State Supreme Courts on issues of constitutional and election law.
Previously, Mateo served as Deputy Ethics Counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he advised senior agency officials and VA employees nationwide on issues arising from the Executive Branch Standards of Conduct, the Hatch Act, and federal financial disclosure requirements. He also served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. Department of Labor, where he provided counsel to the Administrator of the Wage & Hour Division on major rulemakings and advisory opinions arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Family and Medical Leave Act.
Before his government service, Mateo was an attorney at a nationally recognized law firm, where he counseled Fortune 500 companies and political organizations on issues of campaign finance, government ethics, lobbying disclosure, and nonprofit taxation.
Mateo earned his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law with a Certificate in Government Affairs, and a B.A. in International Affairs from the George Washington University. While in law school, he served as Acquisitions Editor of the Alabama Law Review and was an award-winning member of the Moot Court Board.
Mateo has published several academic articles on subjects ranging from constitutional law to statutory interpretation. He currently serves on the board of trustees of Sight Savers America, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to providing eye care to underserved communities nationwide.
Bar Admissions:
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- Alabama
Court Admissions:
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama