Military Service

Matthew A. Linde was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota in 1963.  In 1981 Mr. Linde entered the U.S. Air Force and was trained at the U.S. Air Force Survival, Evasion, Rescue and Escape (S.E.R.E.) School at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington.  After intense training Mr. Linde became a certified S.E.R.E. Instructor.  For several years Mr. Linde taught global survival, evasion, rescue and escape techniques to Air Force flight crews at Fairchild AFB, Washington and Homestead AFB in Florida.  Mr. Linde also served in the Resistance Training Branch of the U.S. Air Force S.E.R.E. School teaching flight crews various methods of interrogation they could expect to see if captured and effective ways to resist interrogation.  Mr. Linde was awarded the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal for his service at the Resistance Training Branch.  Mr. Linde served more than ten years in the U.S. Air Force, which includes six years in the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

Education

In 1989 Mr. Linde received a B.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin Summa Cum Laude, and in 1993 received a Doctor of Law, J.D., degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.  In 1999 he received his post-doctorate degree in taxation (Master of Legal Letters or LL.M.) from Golden Gate School of Law in San Francisco, California. Mr. Linde was first licensed to practice law in May of 1993, and is currently licensed to practice in California, Minnesota (inactive), Florida, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. In California Mr. Linde worked for one of the largest professional service firms in the world and gained significant experience in preparing income and estate tax returns for wealthy individuals and estates as well as estate and tax planning.

Community Involvement 

In January of 2002 Mr. Linde moved from California to work for the largest law firm in Lee County. Within a year Mr. Linde founded Matthew A. Linde, P.A.  Since 2002 the firm has experienced significant growth. Currently, Mr. Linde is a member of Cultural Legacy, Cultural Legacy Christian Fellowship of Lee County, Lee County Republican Executive Committee, Collier County Bar Association, Lee County Bar Association, Estate Planning Council of Lee County, the Florida State Guardianship Association, the State Bar of California, Minnesota (inactive) and Florida; Mr. Linde is a member of the Florida Bar sections of Appellate Practice and Advocacy, Elder Law, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law, Trial Lawyers and Taxation.  Mr. Linde is also a member of the American Bar Association and involved in ABA sections of Professionalism, Taxation and Real Property, Trust and Estate Law.  In addition, Mr. Linde is a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys and the Florida Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.  In 2011 Mr. Linde became a Barrister at the Calusa Chapter of the American Inns of Court.  This is an honor.  The Calusa Inn of Court's main purpose is to promote excellence in legal advocacy, as well as professionalism, civility and ethics in the legal profession through educational experiences.  

Initiative: Matthew Linde passes the Florida Elder Law Board Certification Exam and the Wills, Trusts and Estates Board Certification Exam in the same year on the first attempt 

In August of 2009 Mr. Linde filed an application to become a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney, and in October of 2009 Mr. Linde filed an application to become a Board Certified Wills, Trusts and Estates Attorney.  Certification is a voluntary program.  One of the requirements for board certification is that an applicant must pass a comprehensive six hour multiple choice/ essay examination.  In 2010, Mr. Linde passed the Elder Law Certification Exam and passed the Wills, Trust and Estates Board Certification Exam.  According to the Florida Board of Legal Specialization and Education, as of January 10, 2011, only one (1) other attorney (out of over 74,000 actively licensed to practice in Florida) has ever taken and passed both the certification exam for Elder law, and the certification exam Wills, Trusts and Estates in the same calendar year.   While Mr. Linde cannot claim he is board certified unless he is actually deemed to be board certified by the BLSE, passing both these exams demonstrates Mr. Linde’s desire to relentlessly pursue perfection in the passionate and ethical practice of law as reflected in the firm's mission statement.  Mr. Linde believes that one should never be satisfied with his or her performance.    For more information, contact Matthew A. Linde, P.A. today.