About Us
- Florida Supreme Court Certified County Mediator
- Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator
- FINRA Dispute Resolution Arbitrator
- NFA Arbitrator
- National Arbitration and Mediation (NAM) Arbitrator
- Member Seminole Tribe of Florida Bar Association
- Rated AV® Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
- 2018 “Legal Leader” for South Florida
- Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star
- Legal Leaders, South Florida’s Top Rated Lawyers
- America’s Most Honored Professionals
- Lead Counsel Rated
- Top AVVO rating of 10
- Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
- Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity
- University of Florida Levin College of Law (J.D.)
- University of Florida Levin College of Law, Certificate of Intellectual Property Law
- Florida Atlantic University (B.A.) cum laude
- Graduate and Volunteer Instructor, Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship Small Business Executive Program at Florida State University
- Graduate, Instructor, and Business Law Subject Matter Expert, Kauffman FastTrac NewVenture Program
- Volunteer Workshop Presenter, SCORE
Why Business Law?
Why Matthew Fornaro Chose to Serve Entrepreneurs
For Matthew Fornaro, business law is personal.
Long before he became a business law attorney, Matthew watched his father build and operate a successful small business. He saw firsthand the decisions, pressures, risks, and legal issues business owners face, often without access to the sophisticated legal guidance available to larger companies. That experience stayed with him.
Matthew began practicing law in 2003 and built his early career at two AmLaw 200 law firms, handling complex civil litigation and learning how major firms approach high-stakes legal matters. He later had the opportunity to continue at an even larger law firm. Instead, he chose a different path.
In 2015, he founded Matthew Fornaro, P.A. d/b/a Fornaro Legal because he saw a gap in the legal market. Small businesses, entrepreneurs, startups, and founders needed experienced business counsel, but many were not a natural fit for the economics and structure of large law firms. At the same time, many smaller suburban practices did not focus on the day-to-day legal needs of business owners.
Fornaro Legal was built to bridge that gap.
Today, Matthew brings more than 20 years of legal experience directly to South Florida business owners. As a Coral Springs business law attorney, he helps entrepreneurs and companies with business formation, contracts, transactions, intellectual property, ownership disputes, business litigation, arbitration, mediation, and the legal risks that come with starting and growing a company.
His perspective is different because he has sat on both sides of the table. He has practiced in major law firms, built his own firm, taught and mentored entrepreneurs, and spent his career resolving business disputes when relationships and agreements break down.
The mission is simple: give small businesses, startups, founders, and entrepreneurs access to sophisticated business-law experience without sacrificing the responsiveness, practicality, and personal attention they need to run their businesses.
Matthew Fornaro, Esq.
Matthew began his career at AmLaw 200 firms focusing on civil litigation. That experience continues to inform his business practice today. He is admitted to practice in Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, and has mentored attorneys and business founders through entrepreneurship programs.
As an accomplished attorney, Matthew has earned the prestigious “AV” rating, the highest distinction awarded through Martindale’s Peer Review system, recognizing his excellence in legal ability and ethical standards. He has been consistently recognized as a top-rated attorney in South Florida, featured in the Legal Leaders publication for his work in litigation, commercial litigation, and real estate.
A proud graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, one of the nation’s premier law schools, Matthew brings both academic distinction and practical expertise to his practice.
Entrepreneurship Education & Small-Business Development
Matthew helps entrepreneurs understand the legal decisions involved in starting, operating, protecting, and growing a business. Through SCORE, Kauffman FastTrac, and the Jim Moran Institute, he combines more than two decades of legal experience with his own experience as a small-business owner.
SCORE
As a Volunteer Workshop Presenter for SCORE, a nonprofit resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Matthew presents educational programs for entrepreneurs and business owners. Topics include business law, contracts, entity formation and governance, intellectual property, risk management, and dispute prevention.
Kauffman FastTrac NewVenture
Matthew is a graduate, instructor, and Business Law Subject Matter Expert for the Kauffman FastTrac NewVenture Program. He works with entrepreneurs and emerging business owners on the legal issues involved in building and growing a business.
Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship
Matthew is a graduate of the Small Business Executive Program at Florida State University’s Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship. He has returned to the program as a volunteer instructor, providing practical business-law education to entrepreneurs and business owners.
Across these programs, Matthew helps business owners recognize legal risks early, establish sound business foundations, and make informed decisions as their companies grow.
Matthew Fornaro, P.A. Successfully Represented
Matthew Fornaro Helps Small and Medium Businesses with Legal Needs
Professional Involvement
Former Board Member, Broward County Bar Association
Former Vice-President and Board of Directors, Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital
Former Member, Broward County Consumer Protection Board
Former Commissioner, Broward County Historical Commission
NEXT (Next Executive Team)
United Way of Broward County, Mission United Veteran’s Project