Matthew J. Soroky

Matthew J. Soroky is a Shareholder and a Certified Specialist in Franchise & Distribution Law as designated by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Soroky is dedicated to providing timely, cost-effective, and practical solutions to his clients. He represents both franchisors and franchisees in a wide variety of transactional, litigation and regulatory matters which include:

• Preparing Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) and related regulatory filings
• Outside/In-house counsel services for large, mid-size, and start-up franchisors
• Counseling prospective franchisees on investing in single-unit and multi-unit franchise offerings
• Advising franchisors and franchisees regarding termination, transfer, renewal, and non-renewal issues
• Representing franchisors and franchisees in administrative actions and investigations

Mr. Soroky advises business owners in a diverse range of industries, including quick-service and full-service restaurants, fitness centers, retail stores, professional services, medical spas, health and wellness, and many others. His breadth of engagements by clients with varied business experience and budgets enable him to tailor appropriate approaches or strategies to arrive efficiently at the client's goals.

With over 15 years' experience, Mr. Soroky litigates an array of franchise, business, and intellectual property disputes in federal and state courts and arbitrations. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex cases involving franchise disclosure violations, inadvertent/accidental franchise claims, trademark and copyright infringement, fraud and false advertising, Lanham Act and unfair competition, trade secret misappropriation, and disputes involving distributor, dealer, and commercial supply contracts.

Mr. Soroky is an active member of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising and regular author and speaker on franchise and distribution issues. His publications include articles for The Franchise Law Journal, The Franchise Lawyer, Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal and Valley Lawyer. Mr. Soroky currently serves as Staff Editor for The Franchise Law Journal. He was a member of the Franchise Law Committee for the California Lawyers Association, where he served as Vice Chair of Legislation, and lead a subcommittee on proposals to exempt franchises from California’s Assembly Bill 5 (2019).

Prior to joining Lewitt Hackman, Mr. Soroky worked at a national law firm and completed externships with several in-house legal departments. He has been named a Southern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine in Franchise and Dealership Law, each year since 2018.