Matt Pollack is among the nation’s foremost experts in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and brings nearly two decades of experience in transparency, disclosure, privacy, and media law to NSLF.
But where Matt truly stands apart—and why clients nationwide seek him out—is his unmatched ability to remove online content that others can’t. He is one of the most effective content removal attorneys in the United States, known for persuading major news outlets, government agencies, and digital platforms to take down or de-index damaging material that most lawyers would consider untouchable. His understanding of how information flows through federal systems, newsroom policies, and search engine algorithms gives him a rare, insider-level advantage when crafting requests that get results.
Matt’s removal work is quiet but extraordinary—measured not in headlines, but in clean search results and restored reputations. He combines his FOIA and media law background to design surgical, evidence-based removal strategies that speak the language of editors, platform lawyers, and compliance officers. His requests don’t threaten—they persuade. And his results speak for themselves: NSLF’s content removal team has successfully taken down hundreds, even thousands, of online items across news publications, mugshot sites, government pages, and social media platforms.
Prior to joining the firm, Matt served as the Acting General Counsel for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), where he managed the agency’s Office of General Counsel, advised the Chief Executive Officer, and oversaw all agency litigation. Earlier, as Assistant General Counsel and Deputy Chief FOIA Officer, he led FOIA, ethics, prepublication review, and privacy programs—reducing processing times by more than 90 percent.
Before USAGM, Matt spent over a decade adjudicating FOIA appeals at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, eventually serving as Chief of Disclosure Law and Judicial Actions, where his team processed more FOIA appeals than any other federal agency in the country. He has also served on the Chief FOIA Officers Council’s Technology Committee, co-authored government-wide guidance on FOIA data and video requests, and helped design the FOIA Reference Model with MITRE and the Department of Justice.
Matt began his career at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, advocating for First Amendment and press-access rights—experience that now gives him a unique credibility when negotiating with media outlets on behalf of clients seeking removal or correction of harmful online content.
He earned his law degree with honors from The George Washington University Law School and his bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Philosophy, cum laude, from Syracuse University.
Today, Matt Pollack stands as one of the nation’s leading authorities on both information access and information removal—a rare dual mastery that makes him the lawyer other lawyers call when a reputation, a career, or a name needs saving.
In his personal time, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams. Go Birds.