Matthew Rouse is the founder and Managing Director of Rouse Lawyers and a corporate and M&A lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience advising founders, business owners, private companies, family businesses and investors. Across his career, Matthew has advised on transactions exceeding $5 billion in aggregate value.
Matthew leads the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions practice, advising on sell-side and buy-side transactions, mergers, strategic investments and shareholder transactions, as well as restructures, ownership and succession matters.
Matthew has extensive M&A experience, with particular depth in transactions in the $5 million to $100 million range and significant experience on larger and more complex corporate transactions, including transactions exceeding $250 million.
For founders contemplating an exit, Matthew’s involvement often begins before a buyer is at the table. He advises on preparing a business for sale, transaction structure, approaches from prospective buyers, heads of agreement and adviser engagements, before guiding the transaction through due diligence, negotiation, transaction documentation and completion.
His M&A work is backed by broader corporate experience advising business owners on shareholder arrangements, capital raising, acquisitions, restructures and succession, often over different stages of the business lifecycle.
Matthew often works with founders and business owners over many years and through different stages of the business lifecycle. That can begin with ownership and structuring, shareholder arrangements, capital raising or an acquisition, and develop into broader corporate advice as the business grows.
For family businesses and privately held groups, that can also include succession, intergenerational ownership and ultimately the transition or sale of the business. Matthew also advises family offices, family groups and high-net-worth clients where business ownership, succession and intergenerational wealth intersect.
This broader corporate experience informs Matthew’s approach to M&A. A transaction is rarely just about the sale agreement. Ownership structures, tax, key employees, intellectual property, property, shareholder relationships and the objectives of the owners can all materially affect the transaction and its outcome.
Matthew works directly with founders, business owners, boards and senior executives, and alongside their accountants, corporate advisers and other professional advisers where required.
More transactions are available in the Rouse Lawyers Recent Deals archive.
For many founders, selling a business is a once-in-a-lifetime transaction and the point where years of work become personal and family wealth.
Matthew’s involvement can begin before a buyer is at the table, including sale readiness, ownership and transaction structure, unsolicited approaches, heads of agreement and the appointment of corporate advisers or business brokers.
Where a corporate adviser or business broker is being appointed, Matthew can advise on the legal and commercial terms of the engagement and work alongside them through the sale process.
Once a transaction is underway, he advises on due diligence, sale documentation, warranties and indemnities, earn-outs and deferred consideration, restraints, negotiation and completion.
He also works with the client’s accountants, tax advisers and wealth advisers where a sale affects structuring, succession or post-sale wealth.
Matthew has particular depth advising technology, software and other growth businesses on acquisitions, investment, shareholder arrangements and exits.
In technology transactions, Matthew regularly advises where software, intellectual property, data, recurring revenue arrangements and founder ownership are central to enterprise value. His broader M&A experience spans defence, healthcare, manufacturing and industrial businesses, professional services, property, food and beverage, mining technology and environmental services.
Matthew founded Rouse Lawyers in 2006 after practising with Australian corporate law firms including Clayton Utz, Sparke Helmore and Dibbs Barker Gosling.
At Clayton Utz, Matthew practised in Corporate and M&A and worked on major Australian corporate transactions, including the float of Wotif.com and the Australian and New Zealand Cleanaway and Industrial Services divestment as part of Brambles’ major divestment program.
Since founding Rouse Lawyers in 2006, Matthew has built the firm into an established independent commercial law firm, with its corporate and M&A practice focused particularly on privately owned and mid-market businesses, founders and other decision-makers.
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from Bond University and a Diploma of Applied Finance from FINSIA.
Matthew regularly hosts and participates in M&A roundtables and discussions with founders, business owners, corporate advisers and other professional advisers.
We engaged the services of Matthew Rouse of Rouse Lawyers for the sale of our Medical business. We understood this process could be long, stressful & complicated as it indeed turned out to be. Matthew handled the process with great care, patience & diligence & he helped to drive the negotiations forward culminating in a successful outcome. Matthew was always available for comment & advice & his unflappable nature was of great reassurance to us. We highly recommend Matthew Rouse of Rouse Lawyers.”
Their commercial legal team has provided strategic, pragmatic, and responsive advice across a range of commercial legal matters relevant to us here at Idea 11 and the team has developed a good understanding of our legal needs, decision making, and ways of working. Matthew and the team have taken the time to understand our business and growth objectives, delivering legal solutions that are practical and commercially sound. Rouse Lawyers have become a trusted partner as Idea 11 continues its journey.”
Idea 11
Rouse represented us in the sale of our company in a private equity-backed trade sale. We were safely guided through the sale process, which was not without its trials and tribulations, and we were very pleased with their advice, availability and dedication.”
CEO and founder of LawMaster
The Rouse team guided us through each stage of the process with clarity and confidence. They were responsive, pragmatic and highly detail-oriented, and we felt well advised and supported at every stage.
Chief Operating Officer, UBH Group Pty Ltd
Speak directly with Matthew Rouse about a business sale or acquisition, preparing for an exit, or a significant corporate, shareholder, ownership or succession matter.
Matthew is based at Rouse Lawyers’ Brisbane office and advises clients across Australia and internationally.
