Ron Matten

Worth knowing

He spent close to 15 years doing corporate immigration in Toronto before opening his own firm, so he knows both ends of the Canada-US move: what a work permit takes, and what an extraordinary ability case actually needs to look like. His firm also handles the full range of work visas permanent residence, including H-1B, L-1, TN, P-3 and PERM matters for companies. Canadian founders eyeing a US entity, and artists planning a US career, should write.

Story

Ron grew up in a small college town in southern Illinois and trained as an industrial engineer, working at Motorola before law school took him to UCLA. He built his immigration practice at Ernst & Young in Toronto, chairing the Canada chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association along the way. In 2018 he returned to Los Angeles and founded Matten Law in West Hollywood, a firm that puts AI and automation into the mechanics of visa work. He also started The Startup Law Academy, an accelerator that trains law students on how to think like a startup founder.

In Ron's words

Grew up in Illinois, went to UCLA for Law School. Immigrated to Toronto in 2004 to be with my husband who is from Peru. We both became Canadian citizens. Focused on corporate immigration at the Big 4. Moved back to LA in 2018 to start my own immigration boutique firm focused on founders, startups, artists and other talented individuals. Our firm, Matten Law LLP, is tech and AI-forward

Highlights

• Founder and Managing Partner, Matten Law LLP, Los Angeles (2018-present)
• Best Lawyers in America, Immigration Law, 2023 through 2026
• Chambers USA California Spotlight Guide 2026, Immigration Law
• Former Chair, Canada Chapter, American Immigration Lawyers Association
• J.D., UCLA School of Law (2001); M.S., Mech. Engr., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign