Matthew J. McCarthy practices in the area of administrative law and business law, with a focus on representing and advising companies in licensing matters during all phases of the licensing process, including application drafting, advising on municipal laws and requirements, and liaising with regulatory bodies on compliance issues. His work also includes general business litigation, internal investigations, international, sports, gaming and health law.
‍
Matt previously served as regulatory enforcement counsel to the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, an independent administrative body within the Maryland Department of Health and predecessor to the Maryland Cannabis Authority, before beginning private practice at Duane Morris LLP, a global law firm.  

Matt is a 2008 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School. Earlier in his career, he worked at the U.S. Department of Justice and at the United Nations as a junior legal officer, serving at missions in The Hague, Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and Washington, D.C. He earned his Legal Education Certificate—a professional certification to practice in the former British West Indies—in 2024.

Admissions
District of Columbia
Maryland
Washington

Education
University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 2008

Selected Publications
- Author, “D.C. Superior Court Rules In Favor of Plaintiff in Landmark Case—Finds Neighbor’s Cannabis Smoke To Be a Private Nuisance,” Duane Morris Cannabis Blog, June 21, 2023
- Author, "Notes On Social Equity From A Former Cannabis Regulator," Law360, July 11, 2022
- Author, "A Former Cannabis Regulator on Shaping a Nascent Industry," Law360, July 8, 2022
- Co-author, "Due Process for Applicants and Licensees," Thomson Reuters Cannabis Law Deskbook, October 2021
- Co-author, "Private Military Contractors: Still a Legal No Man's Land?," Journal of International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (German Red Cross), October 2010

Selected Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, “International Trade in Cannabis & International Law: Opportunities & Challenges,” Duane Morris International Arbitration Group, June 29, 2023
- Co-presenter, “Client Counseling and Cultural Competence,” Seattle University School of Law, February 23, 2023
- Speaker, "Real Estate Leases and Cannabis: Avoiding Regulatory and Legal Landmines," American Law Institute CLE, January 24, 2023
- Panelist, "Towards More Effective Cannabis Regulations," CanEx Jamaica Business Conference, September 16, 2022
- Panelist, Careers in Public Service, J.D. Externship II Program, Georgetown University Law Center, April 18, 2018

‍