Matthew T. Macklin

Matthew Macklin is a business and corporate attorney who advises companies, executives, boards, and entrepreneurs across many industries. He helps clients form and structure companies, negotiate and close deals, and resolve high-stakes disputes. He also builds the governance and compliance foundations that let a business grow with confidence. However, what sets him apart is rare among lawyers: before he practiced law, he spent more than twenty years running organizations rather than merely advising them.

Indeed, that operator’s perspective is the through-line of his practice. Matthew brings particular depth to healthcare, one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country, but his counsel is not confined to it. Whether a client is launching a venture, scaling operations, restructuring ownership, or defending its position in court, he pairs sophisticated legal judgment with the instincts of someone who has actually sat in the executive chair.

Education and Credentials

The business degree came first, and separately — an MBA in 2013, eight years before the JD, earned while he was running skilled nursing facilities full time. The law degree came the same way: every other weekend on a flight to Chicago for Loyola’s part-time program, while running multiple facilities through the pandemic. He finished in December 2020, spent part of law school in a Chicago medical-legal partnership with a legal aid organization, and has practiced in Washington since 2021.

• Juris Doctor, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2021, with certificates in health law and in compliance
• Master of Business Administration, Walden University, 2013
• Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Loyola University Chicago
• Admitted to the Washington State Bar, 2021 (WSBA No. 57867)
• Admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Washington
• Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, Washington
• Counsel of record in Chappel v. Johnson, 35 Wn. App. 2d 479 (2025), a published Washington Court of Appeals decision under the Nonprofit Corporation Act (see Significant Cases)

Executive and Operating Experience

Before he practiced law, Matthew Macklin led organizations from the inside. Over more than twenty years, he served as a senior healthcare executive and licensed nursing home administrator, managed multi-site operations, and did nonprofit CEO work. Along the way, he earned a reputation for turning around troubled organizations and building the teams, systems, and cultures that keep them healthy. Moreover, he carried real profit-and-loss responsibility, answered to boards and regulators, and made the operational decisions his clients now face every day. As a result, his advice addresses not only what the law requires but also what actually works in a running business.

Significant Cases

Matthew Macklin has tried cases to judgment, argued in the Washington Court of Appeals, and challenged state agencies and national payers on behalf of Washington businesses, nonprofits, and healthcare providers. Representative public decisions include:

• Chappel v. Johnson, 35 Wn. App. 2d 479, 576 P.3d 578 (2025) — represented a nonprofit board at trial and on appeal; a published Court of Appeals decision under the Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act affirming that the directors had not breached their fiduciary duties and that the organization was not a charitable corporation, with the Attorney General appearing as amicus curiae
• Aunty’s Place Early Learning & Child Care Center v. DCYF (Thurston County Superior Court 2026) — represented licensed child care providers; a declaratory judgment invalidating a DCYF rule amendment adopted without the hearing and rule-making record the Administrative Procedure Act requires

Read more on the firm’s Significant Cases page. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Why Clients Choose Matthew Macklin

Today, Matthew Macklin advises and represents clients across business and corporate law, complex litigation, corporate strategy and governance, and healthcare regulation. His particular areas of focus include:

• Business formation, corporate strategy, and governance
• Complex corporate litigation and disputes
• Contracts and commercial agreements
• Mergers, acquisitions, and business transactions
• Nonprofit and board governance and compliance
• Healthcare regulatory compliance, including Stark Law and self-disclosure, Anti-Kickback Statute defense, and False Claims Act matters
• CMS health surveys, payer audits, and provider reimbursement disputes
• Professional licensure defense

His work spans many industries and business types, from startups and closely held companies to established enterprises and nonprofits. In addition, he serves as board chair of a Washington nonprofit, which keeps his governance advice grounded in current practice.

Philosophy and Approach

Above all, Matthew believes in proactive strategy that helps clients reach a safe yes rather than creating roadblocks. For that reason, he focuses on preventing problems through sound structure, strong documentation, and clear policies. Consequently, his clients are positioned to move quickly, close deals, and defend against claims and regulatory challenges when they arise.

Contact Matthew Macklin

Matthew Macklin is available for urgent legal matters around the clock. Call 253-313-2284 or contact the firm online. His bar record is available through the WSBA Legal Directory. Finally, to learn more about the firm, visit our About page.