Matthew S. Smith

Matthew S. Smith

Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

Matthew Smith is a partner in Baker McKenzie’s Transactional Practice Group based in New York and is a member of the firm’s Global Derivatives Steering Committee and Global Blockchain Steering Committee.

Prior to joining the Baker McKenzie, Matt worked at another international law firm. He previously served on secondment at a leading global investment bank.

Practice Focus

Matt’s practice focuses on transactional and regulatory matters related to derivatives, finance, structured products, commodities, and securities. He assists a range of clients, including corporate borrowers and issuers, asset managers, private equity funds, hedge funds, broker-dealers, and other businesses, in negotiating trading documentation related to futures, cleared swaps, and over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives transactions (including interest rate hedges, commodity hedges, foreign exchange (FX) forwards and swaps, equity derivatives, credit default swaps, structured investments, and repurchase agreements), as well as related collateral, guarantee, custody, and other credit support arrangements. He also advises clients on matters relating to compliance with the Dodd-Frank Act, the applicable requirements of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Futures Association (NFA), and the rules and regulations of various clearinghouses and exchanges.

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Bar Association's Business Law Section – Member, Derivatives and Futures Law Committee
  • Futures Industry Association (FIA) Law & Compliance Division – Member
  • New York City Bar Association – Member, Futures and Derivatives Law Committee
  • New York State Bar Association – Member, Derivatives and Structured Products Law Committee
  • Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) – Member
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) – Member
  • Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) – Member

Admissions

  • New Jersey~United States
  • New York~United States

Education

  • St. John's University, School of Law (JD) (2011)
  • Johns Hopkins University (BA) (2006)

Languages

  • English

Author, "Understanding the Insider Trading Gap in Prediction Markets," Law360, May 11, 2026

Author, “United States: Event Contracts and Prediction Markets,” Baker McKenzie Legal Alerts, April 6, 2026

Author, "United States: No Action, Big Impact - CFTC Harmonizes Cross-Border Rules," Baker McKenzie InsightPlus, December 11, 2025

Author, "International: The ISDA Notices Hub has been launched," Baker McKenzie InsightPlus, August 6, 2025

Panelist Speaker, What's Keeping Your Customers Up at Night, FIA Law & Compliance Division Conference, April 24, 2025

Author, "Sustainability under scrutiny - the CFTC spearheads a novel fraud action against a voluntary carbon credit developer," Baker McKenzie InsightPlus, October 25, 2024