Acting United States Attorney Matt Kirsch

Matt Kirsch is the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado. 

As Acting United States Attorney, Mr. Kirsch is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the State of Colorado.  He oversees all federal criminal prosecutions, as well as all civil litigation undertaken on behalf of the United States Government.  He leads an office of more than 160 attorneys and professional staff members, in addition to approximately 20 government contractors. 

Mr. Kirsch is a career prosecutor who became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1999.  He has prosecuted hundreds of cases charging a variety of federal crimes.  Before becoming the Acting U.S. Attorney, Mr. Kirsch held multiple leadership positions in the office, including a previous term as Acting U.S. Attorney.  Mr. Kirsch has served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Criminal Division Chief, and Economic Crimes Section Chief.  He also served as a member of the Department’s nationwide Criminal Chiefs’ Working Group.  Mr. Kirsch is highly engaged in the U.S. Attorney’s office’s local community outreach efforts.  In 2024, Mr. Kirsch was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the office and the people of Colorado with the Director’s Award for Executive Achievement by the Executive Office of United States Attorneys.

Mr. Kirsch is committed to legal ethics and ensuring high standards of professionalism both within the U.S. Attorney’s Office and within the legal community.  Inside the office, Mr. Kirsch has served as a Professional Responsibility Officer, Criminal Discovery Coordinator, and Giglio Officer.  Outside of the office, he has been a member of the Colorado Bar Association’s Ethics Committee since 2006 and chaired that Committee in 2019-2020.  He has presented multiple Continuing Legal Education programs on legal ethics issues and has taught courses at the Department’s National Advocacy Center on topics including criminal trial advocacy, evidence, and professional responsibility. Mr. Kirsch is also a member of the Colorado Supreme Court’s Standing Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Mr. Kirsch received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his law degree from Duke University. Before becoming an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Kirsch clerked for the Honorable N.C. Tilley, Jr. in the Middle District of North Carolina and then worked briefly at an international law firm’s Denver office.  When not in the office, he is usually enjoying Colorado’s mountains and rivers with his family and friends.