Our Team

Matthew J. Matern

President

Matthew Matern is the founding attorney of Matern Law Group, PC. Matern is an employment law attorney with over 20 years of experience as a trial lawyer. Matern represents employees in discrimination, harassment, and wage and hour class-action cases. He has represented clients in single-plaintiff and class action lawsuits in state and federal courts. Matern has served as lead attorney in class action lawsuits brought on behalf of thousands of employees. Matern also belongs to numerous organizations that protect employee and consumer rights. Every year since 2009, Matthew Matern has been selected to the Southern California Super Lawyers list.

Mr. Matern founded The Satyagraha Alliance to support philanthropic collaboration in charitable, educational, environmental, spiritual, literary, and scientific endeavors. Reflecting Matern’s passion for social justice and assisting the vulnerable, The Satyagraha Alliance’s initial grants support organizations that serve the homeless community around Venice, CA.
Matthew Matern received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Tulane University and a law degree from Southwestern Law School.

Julia Cottrell

Secretary

Julia Cottrell is a business strategy, management, and marketing professional in the legal industry. She currently serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at Matern Law Group, PC. Prior to her current role, Ms. Cottrell worked as a lawyer at international law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, and completed her training as a lawyer at international law firm, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Cottrell grew up in Hong Kong, Singapore, and England, and has spent the past 9 years living in California where she is active in her local community and has taken on several volunteer roles. She volunteers as a Wish Granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and has also served on the Young Professionals Advisory Council Silicon Valley for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Cottrell received her MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, completed the Legal Practice Course at Nottingham Law School, and has a bachelor’s degree in Law LLB from

King’s College London. She is a Solicitor admitted to the Law Society of England & Wales and has maintained her license to practice.

Annie Bauer

Program Specialist

Annie Bauer facilitates Satyagraha Alliance’s volunteering initiatives. She has several years of experience working in international development and research. She previously worked at the National Democratic Institute implementing democratic governance programs in East Africa. She also worked for Mercy Corps in Ethiopia supporting banking, agriculture, and refugee assistance programs.

Outside of work, she has volunteered teaching English at immigrant community centers. She is passionate about international development and politics and has worked in Latin America, the Arabian Peninsula, and East Africa.

She holds an MSc in Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics and a BA in Psychology from New York University Abu Dhabi.