Matthew is a lawyer, accountant, management consultant, MBA coach at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University (student feedback) and knowledge management consultant. Formerly the Director (Know How and Online Products) at Mallesons Stephen Jaques, a major Australian based Asian law firm with over 200 partners and ranked within the top 25 globally by size.

His academic background is degrees in accounting and in law from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. He has worked in professional services for almost 20 years, including with Price Waterhouse, Mallesons, Chubb Corporation, Allen Capital and The Weatherhead School of Management.

His interest in professional services firm management, and knowledge management as a way to increase knowledge worker productivity commenced in the 1980's at Price Waterhouse, and continued with Mallesons whilst practicing law as a mergers and acquisitions attorney. Following a period leading a startup venture for Chubb Corporation in Australasia, Matthew returned to Mallesons to work with the CEO and the Board on strategic projects, and was subequently appointed as the firm's first Director (Know How).

Matthew takes an innovative and yet pragmatic approach to knowledge management and legal technology, and is recognised for his strategic thinking skills and ability to analyze and communicate complex concepts simply. Matthew has a unique combination of legal, financial, technological and strategic competencies. Over the years Matthew has designed and programmed many computer applications including charity recording keeping, contact management, manufacturing aides, workflow, Notes databases, Access databases, dBase and Clipper databases, websites, online training, simulators and a range of utilities in VBA.

In 2001 Matthew decided to research and produce a book on effective law firm knowledge management to assist the leaders of KM initiatives within law firms, and the committees, partners, and others, to whom they report. The result of that research is Effective Knowledge Management for Law Firms, published by Oxford University Press. His second book, which will be available in 2005, outlines a methodology and approach for information architecture and design for management and strategic documents prepared by knowledge workers.

He has spoken at conferences in Australia, and LegalTech New York on topics of knowledge management and law firm management, and published articles in the United States, England and Australia on knowledge management and legal technology.

Matthew lives in Cleveland, Ohio. He can be contacted by email at matthew@matthewparsons.com.