Matthew Cleary

Mat Cleary has been a cannabis attorney since 2015, beginning his career in the brand new Washington cannabis industry. Mat carved a niche for himself specializing in license transfers, helping dozens of clients either apply for new licenses or manage the purchase and sale of existing licenses.

After two and a half years of private practice representing 200+ cannabis client in Washington, Mat moved in-house, first serving as COO/CEO of the US subsidiary for a Canadian holding company with cannabis assets in California and Washington, then holding roles as Director of Licensing and Compliance, Director of Regulatory Operations, and Vice President of Business Affairs for vertically-integrated cannabis companies like Nectar Markets and Chalice Brands based out of Portland, Oregon. In these roles, Mat oversaw 40+ licensed facilities, acted as in-house counsel, and advised on expansion strategy for multi-state operations.

In his free time, Mat loves to explore with his wife and nearly two year old daughter. He also plays guitar and bass for a newly formed music project and tries to find time for other hobbies like woodworking, brewing beer, and writing novels.