Matthew J. Soroky

Matthew J. Soroky is a Shareholder and a Certified Specialist in Franchise & Distribution Law as designated by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He represents franchisors, franchisees, licensors, manufacturers, and distributors in a wide variety of transactional, litigation and regulatory compliance matters, and is dedicated to providing timely, cost-effective, and practical solutions to his clients.

Mr. Soroky represents and advises entrepreneurs and business owners in the areas of franchise, distribution, licensing, and intellectual property, in matters involving:

• Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs)
• Franchise registration, renewals, and related compliance
• Franchise termination and non-renewal issues
• Negotiation of single-unit franchise and multi-unit development agreements
• Trademark and copyright registration and enforcement

Throughout his career, Mr. Soroky has litigated an array of franchise, business, and intellectual property disputes, including franchise disclosure violations, inadvertent/accidental franchise claims, trademark and copyright infringement, and disputes involving distributor, dealer and commercial supply contracts. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts in complex cases regarding:

• Trademark and copyright infringement
• Fraud and false advertising
• Franchise law violations
• Lanham Act claims and unfair competition
• Direct and derivative shareholder disputes
• Trade secret misappropriation
• Defamation and privacy torts

Mr. Soroky is an active member of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising and regular author and speaker on franchise and distribution issues. His publications include articles for The Franchise Law Journal, The Franchise Lawyer, Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal and Valley Lawyer. He previously served as Vice Chair of Legislation on the Franchise Law Committee, within the California Lawyers Association’s Business Law Section, to lead a subcommittee on proposals to exempt franchises from California’s Assembly Bill 5 (2019).

Prior to joining Lewitt Hackman, Mr. Soroky worked at a national law firm and completed externships with several in-house legal departments. He has been named a Southern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine in Franchise and Dealership Law, each year since 2018.