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About Matthew
Biography
Matt Brown is a partner with the Orange County, California law firm of Brown & Streza LLP, where he counsels business owners and philanthropists on income tax and estate tax issues that arise in the areas of business planning and charitable planning. Matt is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC – ), a fellowship which is reserved for those estate planning attorneys considered preeminent by their peers. ACTEC is considered to be the “Oscars®” for estate planning attorneys. Matt is Board Certified in Estate Planning Law*. Additionally, Matt recently completed a semester as an adjunct professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, where he taught Wills & Trusts.
Matt is AV® Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell, was named in OC Register Metro’s annual “40 Under 40” issue in 2011, and has been named a “Southern California Super Lawyers-Rising Star” or “Southern California Super Lawyer” by Los Angeles magazine every year since 2008, and has been included in the Top 50: Orange County Super Lawyers list every year since 2016.
Matt has been quoted twice in the Wall Street Journal, twice in the Orange County Register, and in various other publications. Matt is also a frequent speaker and author on advanced estate planning, tax, and philanthropy topics.
Matt earned his undergraduate degree in Agricultural and Managerial Economics from the University of California at Davis and his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, where he was a member of the Southern Methodist University Law Review.
Matt lives in Ladera Ranch, California with his wife, Julie, and their four children: Michael, Ryan, Kevin, and Cassidy. The entire family attends Crossline Community Church in Laguna Hills, California.
*Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
Practice Areas
5
Practice Areas
Estate Planning
20%
26 years | 300 cases
Tax
20%
26 years | 250 cases
Fees and Rates
Cost
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in California for 22 years
State: California
Acquired: 2003
No misconduct found
Licensed in Texas for 26 years
State: Texas
Acquired: 1999
No misconduct found
Location
Brown & Streza LLP
40 Pacifica, 15th Floor, Irvine, CA, 92618
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Matthew Gordon Brown's Reviews
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Matthew Gordon Brown's Lawyer Endorsements
"Matt Brown is an amazing resource for Estate Planning, Tax Planning, and Business Planning matters. His knowledge is exceptional. Matt is very responsive to clients needs and provides innovative solutions."
"I have had the great pleasure of working with Matt Brown on complex estate tax and business planning projects. Matt is smart, ethical and a pleasure to work with. His talents are a rare combination of practical planning and technical understanding of the tax code."
Bert Briones
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Experience
Honors
2021
Southern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2021
Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2020
Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2020
Southern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2019
Southern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2019
Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2018
Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2018
Southern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2017
Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2017
Southern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2016
Southern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2016
Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2015
Southern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2014
Southern California SuperLawyers - Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2014
OC Top Attorney (Estate Planning), OC Register Metro
2013
OC Top Attorney (Estate Planning), OC Register Metro
2013
Five Star Wealth Manager, Orange Coast Magazine
2013
Southern California SuperLawyers - Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2012
OC Top Attorney (Estate Planning), OC Register Metro
2012
Five Star Wealth Manager, Orange Coast Magazine
2012
Southern California SuperLawyers - Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2011
OC Top Attorney (Estate Planning), OC Register Metro
2011
40 Under 40, OC Register Metro
2011
Southern California SuperLawyers - Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2010
Top-Scoring Wealth Managers, Orange Coast Magazine
2010
Five Star Wealth Manager, Orange Coast Magazine
2010
Certified Specialist - Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, State Bar of California
2010
Southern California SuperLawyers - Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2009
Southern California SuperLawyers - Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2009
Certified Specialist - Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, State Bar of California
2008
Top Ten of The Most Dependable Lawyers (Trusts & Estates), Forbes Magazine
2008
Southern California SuperLawyers - Rising Star, Super Lawyers
1997
Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society, Phi Delta Phi
N/A
AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
N/A
AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
Work Experience
2008 - Present
Partner, Brown & Streza LLP
1900 - Present
Partner, Brown & Streza, LLP
2014 - 2015
Adjunt Professor, University of California, Irvine School of Law
2002 - 2008
Associate, Brown & Streza LLP
2000 - 2002
Associate, Thompson & Knight
1999 - 2000
Associate, Winstead Sechrest & Minick
Associations
2014 - Present
American College of Trust and Estate CounselFellow
2008 - Present
University of California at Irvine Merage School of Business - Center for Investment and Wealth ManagementCharter Member
2008 - Present
Orange County Estate Planning CouncilBoard Member
2003 - Present
Partnership for Philanthropic PlanningBoard Member; Member
Kingdom Advisors
Charter Member
State Bar of Texas
Member
Crossline Community Church
Member
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners of Orange County
Founding Board Member; Member
Planned Giving Round Table of Orange County
Past President; Former Board Member for 10 years
College of the State Bar of Texas
Member
Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society
Member
Society of Trust and Estate Professionals (STEP)
Member
Dallas Bar Association
Former Member
State Bar of California
Member
American Bar Association
Member
2009 - 2015
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation Professional Advisory CommitteeMember
2007 - 2008
Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Orange CountyPresident
2003 - 2005
Planned Giving Advisory Board - Ocean InstituteMember
Education
1999
Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law
JD, cum laude
1996
University of California - Davis
BS - Bachelor of Science
Speaking Engagements
2020
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners USA: 9th Annual Institute on Tax, Estate Planning and the Economy
What's in it For Me? Income Tax Planning with Irrevocable Trusts
2019
The 39th Annual Tax & Estate Planning Forum
Beyond Estate Taxes: Trusts Are for Income Taxes, Too
2018
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners USA: 7th Annual Institute on Tax, Estate Planning and the Economy
Different Approaches to Sophisticated Tax Strategies
2018
CalCPA 2018 Estate & Trust Planning Conference
Beyond the ING: California Income Tax Planning with Traditional Irrevocable Trusts
2018
CalCPA 2018 Estate & Trust Planning Conference
Beyond the ING: California Income Tax Planning with Traditional Irrevocable Trusts
2018
CalCPA 2018 Estate & Trust Planning Conference
Beyond the ING: California Income Tax Planning with Traditional Irrevocable Trusts
2018
CalCPA 2018 Estate & Trust Planning Conference
Beyond the ING: California Income Tax Planning with Traditional Irrevocable Trusts
2017
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners USA: 6th Annual Institute on Tax, Estate Planning and the Economy
Micro-Captives For Closely Held Businesses: Is This the End or Just the Beginning?
2016
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners USA: 5th Annual Institute on Tax, Estate Planning and the Economy
Intellectual Property Assets: Income Tax, Estate Tax and Philanthropic Considerations
2015
The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC): 2015 Summer Meeting
Leaving on a Jet Plane? Tax and Tax-Related Considerations for Individuals Moving Between States
2015
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners USA: 4th Annual Institute on Tax, Estate Planning and the Economy
Incomplete Gift Nongrantor Trusts: State and Federal Income Tax Considerations
2014
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners USA: 3rd Annual Institute on Tax, Estate Planning and the Economy
Building Flexibility Into Charitable Remainder Trusts: Income Deferral, Accelerated Gifting, and Early Termination
2014
Asian Agents Conference III
Estate Planning Risk Barometer: Does Your Client's Estate Plan Truly Protect the Family?
2014
34th Annual Southern California Tax & Estate Planning Forum
Incomplete Gift Nongrantor Trusts: State and Federal Income Tax Considerations
2011
Notre Dame Tax and Estate Planning Institute
Zero Basis Allocation to a CRT Term Interest: The Service Elevates Feigned Form Over True Substance
2011
37th Annual Notre Dame Tax & Estate Planning Institute
Early Termination of Private Trusts and Charitable Trusts: Valuation of the Interests and the Allocation of Income Tax Basis
2010
WealthCounsel – The Advisors Forum
Understanding (and Explaining) Interest-Rate-Sensitive Strategies
2010
WealthCounsel
Planning in a Low Interest Rate Environment
2009
WealthCounsel – The Advisors Forum
Estate Tax, Income Tax, and Life Insurance Planning with Charitable Lead Trusts
2009
WealthCounsel
Planning in a Low Interest Rate Environment
2009
Hawaii Tax Institute
Special Insurance Planning Session: Washington Update and Trends on Tax Issues Involving Life Insurance and What Trustees Should Look For In Insurance Providers and Carriers
2009
Hawaii Tax Institute
Special Insurance Planning Session: A Wealth Transfer Advisor’s Guide to Understanding Life Insurance in a Trust
2009
Hawaii Tax Institute
Special Insurance Planning Session: Creating Liquidity and Sophisticated Uses of Life Insurance in Business Planning Transfers
2009
Christian Legal Society: Gift Planning Conference
Estate Freezes: The Basics and the Math
2009
American Bar Association: Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law
“Captive” Insurance Companies and Closely Held Enterprises: Income Tax and Transfer Tax Opportunities and Implications
2009
15th Annual Adventist Attorney’s Association Conference
Estate Planning: Key Considerations in Today’s Economy
2008
WealthCounsel – The Advisors Forum
The Use of Captive Insurance in Estate and Business Planning
2008
WealthCounsel – The Advisors Forum
Income Tax Rules Every Wealth Planner Should Know
2008
Utah Captive Association Annual Conference
The Use of Captive Insurance Companies in Estate Planning
2008
Hawaii Tax Institute
The Use of Captive Insurance by Closely Held Enterprises: Income Tax and Transfer Tax Implications and Opportunities
2008
California Society of CPAs - Financial Planning Interest Group
Advanced Income Deferral
2008
Business Enterprise Institute, Inc. – 2008 National Conference
Exit Planning and Charity
2006
Institute for Christian Gift Planning Counsel
The Tax Economics of Noncharitable Tax Deferral Techniques: Serious Competition for the CRT or Marketing Fluff?
2006
Institute for Christian Gift Planning Counsel
Funding CRTs with Debt-Encumbered Assets: Hazards and Heroics
Publications
2020
Leimberg Information Services
Executing Estate Planning Documents During the Pandemic and the Slow Return to the “New Normal”, Signing During Coronavirus - California
2015
New York University 73rd Institute on Federal Taxation, Chapter 16
Converting Ordinary Income into Capital Gains Using the Early Termination of Private Trusts and Charitable Remainder Trusts
2014
California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
Use of Life Insurance in Estate Planning - Chapter in Business Succession Planning Book
2014
Leimberg Information Services, Inc.
California ING Trusts: A Cautionary Tale of Your Future State Laws?
2014
California State Bar Trusts and Estates Quarterly
California Income Tax Issues for Non-California Trusts - Part I
2014
California State Bar Trusts and Estates Quarterly
California Income Tax Issues for Non-California Trusts - Part II
2013
Wealth Management Frontier Journal
Estate Tax Planning During Economic Uncertainty
2012
California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
Captive Insurance Companies - update - Chapter in Business Succession Planning Book
2012
California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans, Employee Stock Ownership Plans, and Stock Options - update - Chapter in Business Succession Planning Book
2012
California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
Split Dollar Agreements - update - Chapter in Business Succession Planning Book
2010
California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation - Chapter in Business Succession Planning Book
2009
California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
Captive Insurance Companies - Chapter in Business Succession Planning Book
2009
California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
Split Dollar Life Insurance - Chapter in Business Succession Planning Book
2009
WealthCounsel Quarterly
Fat-Free Fat: Nontax Considerations for Discussing Philanthropy With Your Clients
2008
Orange County Business Journal Keys to Wealth Management Supplement
The Life Cycle of the Entrepreneurial Business: Wonder, Blunder, Thunder, Plunder
2008
WealthCounsel Estate Planning Strategies: Collective Wisdom, Proven Techniques
Conservation Easements – How to Give Your Land Away but Still Use It
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers