As a partner with Hathaway & Kunz, Matt’s legal practice focuses on business, corporate, technology, capital formation, intellectual property protection, mergers and acquisitions.

With an advanced LL.M. degree in entrepreneurial law, Matt is well equipped to provide highly-skilled representation to entrepreneurs, start-ups and emerging companies – as well as established companies on complex transactions and strategies.  Matt routinely represents and advises clients on matters such as: entity formations, financing and operational issues, intellectual property, regulatory compliance and contract matters. Matt is one of only a few attorneys in Wyoming actively representing clients in private placement securities matters, and recently co-lawyered Wyoming’s first ever equity-based crowdfunding campaign.  Additionally, Matt is one of the only attorney’s in Wyoming advising companies on blockchain, cryptocurrency, and token offerings. Matt also has significant experience representing clients in litigation matters, routinely appearing before various state and federal courts in Wyoming.

Matt is deeply involved in local and regional entrepreneurship.  He co-founded the Wyoming Entrepreneurs group that meets in Cheyenne, has a published academic article on developing entrepreneurship in Wyoming, and has also published various articles on topics such as crowd funding and the new blockchain/cryptocurrency industry.  Matt is counsel to dozens of start-ups, emerging technology companies, and investment funds across Wyoming, is an active tech and real estate investor, and has been a guest speaker on topics such as capital raising, securities, blockchain, and legal issues surrounding start-ups in Wyoming.  Matt was also formerly a co-founder and three year Chairman of the Array School of Technology and Design,  Wyoming’s first private coding school, before exiting through a sale of the company in 2018.  Matt’s newest venture is becoming a partner with BXE Capital, a cryptocurrency investment fund, based in Denver, Colorado.

In addition to graduating from the University of Wyoming with a B.A. and J.D., Matt also has a graduate law degree (LLM) from the University of Colorado.  Matt has been repeatedly selected as one of the Mountain States SuperLawyer “Rising Stars”, he has been selected multiple times by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 40 Under 40 for the State of Wyoming, has been selected by American Society of Legal Advocates as a Top 40 under 40 in Wyoming, and a National Trial Lawyers Top 100.  Matt also serves on the Board of Advisors for the University of Wyoming Law School, and is a graduate of Leadership Wyoming.

Matt was appointed in 2017 by Governor Matt Mead as the only attorney to serve on the statewide executive council of ENDOW (economically needed diversification options for Wyoming), which helped Wyoming develop a new economic diversification strategy.  In 2018 Matt was also appointed by Governor Mead to additionally serve on the legislatively created Blockchain Taskforce, which he was reappointed to in 2019 by Governor Gordon.  This past year, Matt was further appointed by the Wyoming Supreme Court to serve on the Chancery Court Committee, purposed with standing up the newly created Chancery (business) court in Wyoming.

Matt, along with is wife, Dr. Reagan Kaufman, live in Cheyenne with their two children.

Specialties

  • Business Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Emerging Companies
  • Securities Law
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Technology & Intellectual Property
  • Litigation
  • Energy Law
  • Administrative & Government Relations

Related Employment

  • Law Clerk, First Judicial District, State of Wyoming, 2005-2007
  • Summer Associate, Cobeaga Tomlinson, LLP, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2004
  • Law Clerk, Wyoming Public Service Commission, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 2003
  • Legislative Aide/Intern, U.S. Senator Michael Enzi, Washington, D.C., 2002

Professional Leadership & Community Involvement

  • Leadership Wyoming, Class of 2015
  • Past President, Wyoming Federalist Society
  • Wyoming State Bar, Young Lawyers, Executive Committee (past member)
  • Guest Lecturer, University of Wyoming College of Business
  • National Trial Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 in Wyoming
  • American Society of Legal Advocates, Top 40 Under 40 in Wyoming
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2012-2019
  • National Trial Lawyers, National Top 100 Civil Trial Lawyers

Education

  • LL.M., Entrepreneurial Law, University of Colorado, 2012
  • J.D., University of Wyoming, 2005, Order of Barristers
  • B.A., Political Science, Sociology, Criminal Justice, University of Wyoming, 2002

Bar Admissions

  • Wyoming
  • Colorado

Court Admissions

  • Wyoming Supreme Court
  • Colorado Supreme Court
  • U.S. District of Wyoming
  • U.S. District of Colorado

Publications

  • If You Build It, Will They Come?: A Critical Look at the Policy Approach to Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Wyoming, Wyoming Law Review, 2013.
  • The Next Generation Lawyer, Embracing Change, Creating Value, Wyoming Lawyer, June 2013.
  • The Intersection of Innovation and the Law, how crowdfunding and the on-demand economy are changing the legal field. Wyoming Lawyer, August 2015.
  • Blockchain, Cryptocurrency and Tokens: What is Wyoming getting into and does it signal where we are going?  Wyoming Lawyer, February 2019.

 

Results

  • Representation of corporate client in $68 Million Dollar oil and gas asset divestiture.
  • Co-lead counsel in $52 Million Dollar Telecom Merger.
  • Lead counsel in $ 10 Million Dollar equity financing private placement.
  • Co-lead counsel on Wyoming’s first intrastate equity crowdfunding offering.
  • Lead counsel in formation of private investment fund. 
  • Lead counsel in various corporate acquisitions in industries ranging from transportation and construction to finance and technology.
  • Obtained $1 Million Dollar Jury Verdict in Laramie County District Court.
  • Successful representation of Plaintiff in shareholder derivative action.
  • Completion of numerous private placement and equity transactions on behalf of start-up and emerging companies.
  • Lead counsel in successful defense of corporate veil piercing action.
  • Lead and co-counsel in numerous bench and jury trials.  

Articles