Matthew Syken

Matthew Syken is a corporate and securities attorney with more than twenty years of experience advising companies, founders, and investors on complex transactions across the hospitality, manufacturing, and financial services industries. His career began on Wall Street, where he represented FINRA-registered broker-dealers and high-net-worth individuals in sophisticated financial matters, and later served as a FINRA Arbitrator, resolving disputes within the securities industry.

Over the years, Matthew has expanded his practice from New York to Southern California and, more recently, to Texas, building a reputation as a trusted advisor to companies at every stage of growth. He has served as General Counsel to multiple organizations, guiding leadership through mergers and acquisitions, private placements, fundraising, commercial lending, complex contract negotiations, lease structures, capitalization planning, and asset sales. His work has earned him three nominations as General Counsel of the Year in Southern California and a feature in The New York Times.

What distinguishes Matthew’s approach is his experience as a business co-founder. He has launched and operated several ventures himself, giving him a practical, founder-focused perspective that resonates with entrepreneurs and executives who need legal counsel that understands both the letter of the law and the realities of running a business.

In addition to his legal practice, Matthew has served as an instructor within the University of California system and as a board member for a major fast-casual restaurant group, deepening his understanding of the operational and strategic challenges facing hospitality businesses today.

He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Notre Dame — Touro Law School, an M.B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University — Carey Business School (Thesis Pending), and a B.A. from Northeastern University (MMC-NYU). He is licensed to practice in California, Texas, and New York.