Matt Friedman

The intersection of law and finance has always been my destination. When a recession hit during my formative years, my curiosity and analytic nature led to an interest in finance and economics. When the causes of the recession came to light, I became motivated to ensure that when complicated legal issues make their way into financial transactions, everyone’s interests are protected and everyone understands what they are signing. As a born entrepreneur, working as the legal counsel at MVP provides me with the unique opportunity to foster my passions for finance, law, and startups. 

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Every step in my career has helped me build the skillset and gain the experience needed to represent the legal interests of MVP. I started out representing a broad range of private equity clients and have gradually honed in on VC — first by helping to grow the VC Fund Formation group at Fenwick & West LLP and subsequently working in-house at a VC fund administrator. Venture capital comes with big risks and even bigger rewards, but there’s no room for error on the legal issues. The high-stakes, high-pressure nature of VC keeps me engaged, motivated, and always coming back for more. 

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I was born and raised on Long Island, NY, and am a graduate of the University of Miami (FL) and NYU School of Law. I have a passion for all things sports — but my favorite is Formula 1. It’s a uniquely interesting combination of sport and science, and more than any other sport requires a team performance. Similar to many things in life, the end product you see is the result of the hard work of a team that often goes unseen. It’s entertaining and provides a life lesson, too — your car might look great, but if it's a mess under the hood, you’re not going to win anything.

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As a VC Fund attorney, my goal is to provide clear, concise information so everyone involved understands the options and can make confident, well-informed decisions. And an amazing lawyer that you can’t actually reach is no use to anyone, so I pride myself on always being available to answer questions or provide advice. My mission is to support MVP’s growth with thoughtful counsel and a solid foundation for long-term success.

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One thing I’ve learned in my career is that every challenge is an opportunity. Even when something is intimidating, those times should be viewed as chances to see what you’re made of — a life and career without challenges wouldn’t be a life worth living. So when a difficult situation arises or a tough question comes across my inbox, I roll up my sleeves and get to work.

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