Joseph “Joe” Matera is the Managing Partner of the Tampa office.  Mr. Matera practices first party insurance defense. He has experience defending various homeowners’ property claims, including windstorm, water damage, and theft claims. He has also assisted insurance carriers with claims’ investigations, including conducting many examinations under oaths and coverage analysis.

Before joining Groelle & Salmon, Mr. Matera was an Assistant State Attorney seeking justice for victims of crimes in the State of Florida. He litigated thousands of cases from the initial inception of the case by making the charging decision through jury trial if necessary. He prosecuted various cases ranging from petit theft to armed burglary of a firearm, vehicular homicide, and driving under the influence-manslaughter.

Mr. Matera was raised in the Tampa Bay area where he attended high school in New Port Richey and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida. Subsequently, he graduated with honors from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in May of 2012. While in law school, Mr. Matera was a legal extern for the Honorable Judge Martha Cook of Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit.

He also was an extern at the State Attorney’s Office for the Eighth Judicial Circuit (Gainesville) for a semester and subsequently earned a pro bono certificate for his work as a volunteer at the State Attorney’s Office. Additionally, Mr. Matera was a Senior Research Editor for the Florida Journal of International Law and a Research Editor for the Florida Journal of Technology Law and Policy.

Mr. Matera is a member of the Florida Bar Association and is eligible to practice in all Florida state courts. He is also a member of the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida.  

Mr. Matera is one of the firm’s many educators, presenting internal seminars on new and developing legal theories.  He is also part of the Appellate Practice Group.