Matthew Smith

Matthew T. Smith, Esq. of Elder Law Lawyers McClelland & Associates, PLLC, has a passion for special needs law deeply rooted in his childhood experiences. His mother was a physical therapist, and Matthew often accompanied her on home health visits. He was inspired by one of his mother’s regular patients, a nurse who adopted six children with disabilities and raised them on her own.

“I became friends with two of the boys and was like a surrogate big brother to them,” Matthew recalls. “Anything I do from a professional standpoint always goes back to trying to help out families or people with disabilities — like them.”

This early experience profoundly shaped Matthew’s career path. Before becoming an attorney, he worked as a financial advisor, collaborating with lawyers specializing in special needs trust work. This experience and his personal background led him to recognize the critical need for elder law services and special needs planning.

Today, Matthew’s practice focuses primarily on special needs trust work. He views his role as part attorney and part social worker, emphasizing the importance of listening to clients and finding creative solutions to their unique challenges. “We’re problem solvers more than anything else,” he explains. He believes the key to this work is asking the right questions and really listening to the answers.

In addition to serving on the Special Needs Alliance, Matthew is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association and its Elder Law Section. He also oversees pooled trusts for the Kentucky Guardianship Association and serves on the Kentucky Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council.

For Matthew, the most rewarding aspect of his work is the ability to make a positive impact on people’s lives. “We get to relieve stress from people’s lives. We get to help people,” he reflects. This sentiment encapsulates why he’s dedicated his career to special needs law and continues to find fulfillment in his practice.

Matthew balances his professional commitments with a rich personal life, including raising a 19-year-old son and two-and-a-half-year-old twins with his wife Lindsay. He starts each day with meditation and regularly practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This balance, combined with his MBA and JD, brings a multifaceted perspective to his legal practice, making him a valuable addition to the Special Needs Alliance board.