Matthew R. Carey, Partner

Matt is a registered patent attorney who provides strategic intellectual property counsel to a range of clients, from independent inventors and start-ups to universities and Fortune 500 companies. With a focus on the electrical and software engineering industries, he advises clients at all stages of domestic and foreign patent prosecution, helping them maximize protection across jurisdictions while minimizing costs.

Matt regularly conducts non-infringement, patentability, validity, and enforceability analyses, and drafts corresponding opinions. Leveraging what he calls his “sweet spot” of technology and patent prosecution experience, Matt advises clients on big-picture issues, including developing strategies to build out their IP portfolios by identifying existing protectable technologies, as well as implementing practices aimed at protecting new intellectual property assets. He also conducts IP due diligence in connection with mergers and acquisitions, and advises clients in association with IP litigation.

Matt’s engineering background, combined with his passion for learning, allows him to quickly develop an understanding of his clients’ diverse and evolving technologies. For example, he has helped one client explore what the next generation of smartphones might look like from a design and functionality standpoint, with the goal of helping forward-thinking manufacturers create innovative devices that are more accessible and affordable to a broader segment of the worldwide population. Matt has also become a go-to resource in the areas of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as blockchain technologies, helping clients harness the power of these exploding technologies to identify protectable techniques and applications.

Matt is proud of his deep ties to Chicago and attributes his strong work ethic to his family roots, which he traces to his great-grandparents who immigrated from Ireland and built a life in Chicago. In fact, his great-grandfather operated the Michigan Avenue drawbridge over the Chicago River for many years.

Outside of work, Matt likes to stay active year-round, including skiing and playing platform tennis outdoors throughout the winter months. He has also completed several triathlons over the years. A lifelong music lover, Matt enjoys playing the drums, going to concerts, and discovering new bands and genres of music.

Matt has been listed as an “Emerging Lawyer” in Emerging Lawyers Magazine since 2015, which recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys in Illinois. Each year since 2018, he was also selected for inclusion in the Illinois Rising Stars® list, featuring outstanding young attorneys in the state. In 2024, Matt was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America^© list in the practice area of Patent Law.