Matt Brown

Top rated Estate Planning & Probate attorney in Irvine, California

Brown & Streza LLP
Matt Brown
Brown & Streza LLP

Practice Areas: Estate Planning & Probate, Tax, Nonprofit Organizations

Licensed in California since: 2003

Education: Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2015 - 2025 Selected to Rising Stars: 2008 - 2014

Brown & Streza LLP

40 Pacifica
15th Floor
Irvine, CA 92618 Phone: 949-453-2900 Email: Matt Brown Visit website

Matt Brown is a partner with the Orange County, California law firm of Brown & Streza LLP. Matt heads the firm’s Tax, Trusts, & Estates Group and its Ultra-High-Net-Worth subgroup. He represents business owners and philanthropists in personal planning, business succession planning, and charitable planning. Matt is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and a former adjunct professor of law at University of California, Irvine School of Law.

Matt is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization 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 a published author on advanced estate planning, business succession, 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.

First Admitted: 1999, Texas

Professional Webpage: https://www.brownandstreza.com/team/matt-brown/

Pro bono/Community Service:
  • Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society - Member
  • College of the State Bar of Texas – Member
  • University of California, Irvine - Center for Investment and Wealth Management - Charter Member
  • Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners of Orange County (STEP-OC) - Founding Board Member; Member
  • Orange County Estate Planning Council - Member; former Board Member
  • Crossline Community Church - Member
  • Kingdom Advisors - Charter Member
  • Planned Giving Round Table of Orange County - Past President
Other Outstanding Achievements:
  • 2016 - 2021 “Top 50 Attorneys In Orange County” as published in Los Angeles magazine, February 2016
  • 2011 “40 Under 40” as published in OC Register Metro, May 2011 - Honors top young professionals in Orange County based upon individual accomplishments, current projects, and standing in the community, among other factors
  • 2010,  2012 and 2013 “Five Star Wealth Manager”, as featured in Orange Coast magazine. Survey identifies the top 3% of wealth managers in Orange County, including CPAs, attorneys, bankers, and financial planners. Survey results come from 44,000 high-net-worth Orange County residents and 6,200 leaders of financial service industry companies. Surveys reflect evaluation by those who personally know nominees and rank nine criteria: customer service, integrity, knowledge/expertise, communication, value for fee charged, meeting of financial objectives, post-sale service, quality of recommendations, and overall satisfaction.
  • 2011 - 2014 “OC Top Attorney” (Estate Planning) as published in OC Register Metro, August 2011, August 2012, August 2013 and August 2014
Educational Background:
  • Bachelor of Science, Agricultural and Managerial Economics, University of California at Davis -1996
  • Licensed to practice law in both Texas(inactive) and California
  • Juris Doctor, cum laude, Southern Moethodist University School of Law - 1999
Bar/Professional Activity:
  • University of California, Irvine School of Law - Adjunct Professor - 2014-2015
  • Thompson & Knight LLP, Dallas, Texas - Associate Attorney - 2000-2002
  • Brown & Streza LLP, Irvine, California - Associate Attorney - 2002-2008
  • Brown & Streza LLP, Irvine, California - Partner - 2008-Present
  • Winstead, Dallas, Texas - Associate Attorney - 1999-2000
Transactions:
  • Structured $100 Million gift of closely held stock to charitable remainder trust to defer taxation on sale proceeds from $205 Million business sale
  • Structured $200 Million gift of closely held stock to a private foundation, successfully avoiding excess business holdings challenges
  • Structured tax-deferred $100 Million business sale by implementing complex multi-tiered partnership structure
  • Converted for-profit nursing home into nonprofit corporation using tax-exempt housing bonds
  • Created multi-tiered partnership holding company structure designed to split royalty income of a renowned author among the author, a charitable remainder trust, and a supporting organization while avoiding assignment of income issues
  • Converted $12 Million S-Corporation into nonprofit publishing company, avoiding liquidation tax, minimizing UBIT during conversion period, and ultimately eliminating UBIT entirely
  • Converted $32 Million C-Corporation into nonprofit publishing company, avoiding liquidation tax and ultimately eliminating all corporate level taxes
  • Structured private foundation’s investment in foreign for-profit bank designed to provide microenterprise lending to the poor as a program-related-investment instead of a taxable expenditure or jeopardizing investment
  • Structured supporting organization designed to secure government financing for renovation of distressed housing with profits going to local charities
  • Created supporting organization subsidiary of a national community foundation to accept and direct international gifts
  • Created supporting organization subsidiary of a national community foundation to accept and direct gifts of real property
Honors/Awards:
  • AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale-Hubbell -Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings are established by lawyers and judges who have personal knowledge of an individual attorney’s work and ethical standards. An AV® certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment - a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.
  • Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) – October 2014 - Elected to membership by demonstrating the highest level of integrity, commitment to the profession, competence and experience as trust and estate counselors
Special Licenses/Certifications:
  • Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law (California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization), 2010
Industry Groups:
  • ACTEC Fellow

Office location for Matt Brown

40 Pacifica
15th Floor
Irvine, CA 92618

Selections

11 Years Super Lawyers
7 Years Rising Stars
  • Super Lawyers: 2015 - 2025
  • Rising Stars: 2008 - 2014

Top Lists

Top 50: Orange County Super Lawyers: 2016 - 2025
Top 100: Southern California Super Lawyers: 2025

Certificates and credentials

American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

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