Matthew Smith

Matt is a trusted partner to some of the world’s most well-known venture capital, private equity and alternative asset firms in connection with their fundraising, management company, regulatory and strategic matters. He also advises many promising emerging managers on their journeys building next-generation investment firms. He spends most of his time partnering with investment firms that are raising new funds – advising on market trends and fundraising strategies, designing optimized fund legal documents, collaborating with prospective investors to resolve their comments and questions, and ensuring that the fundraise process is run efficiently by leveraging technology and automation.

Over the past few years, Matt has been recognized for leading a number of market-defining venture capital and digital asset fund formations – including Andreessen Horowitz’s $7.2 billion fundraise in 2024 – and he has been at the forefront of developing and implementing new and innovative fundraising structures unique to those asset classes. He is described by a client in “Chambers and Partners” as “responsive, commercial and able to think through creative solutions to complex issues.” Matt has represented investment firms on the formation and fundraising of more than $100 billion.

Chambers USA ranked Matt in Massachusetts for Private Equity: Fund Formation in 2024 and 2025, and Massachusetts Super Lawyers has named him a Rising Star in business and corporate law annually since 2016.

Before joining Cooley, Matt was a partner in the investment funds group at another US-based international law firm, where he was the leader of its venture capital funds practice.

Some of Matt’s representative clients include Andreessen Horowitz, Dragonfly Capital, Equal Ventures, Formation Bio, Galvanize Climate Solutions, General Catalyst, GPx, Haun Ventures, J.P. Morgan Private Capital, Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India & SEA), Quiet Capital, Red Cell Partners, Slow Ventures, Sound Ventures, Stage 2 Capital, Topology Ventures, Transformation Capital, Tribe Capital and Venture Guides.