With over two decades of legal experience and specialized expertise in labor law, Matthew Hargraves brings a wealth of knowledge and practical understanding to Community Labor Legal Consulting. As founding attorney, he has dedicated his practice to empowering independent local labor organizations through expert representation and personalized guidance.



Matthew earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2001 after graduating summa cum laude from Bryan College. He is licensed to practice in both Florida and Tennessee, bringing a broad perspective to his representation of labor organizations.

His journey to labor law began through his extensive civil litigation experience, where he developed expertise in contract law, administrative proceedings, and complex negotiations. In 2016, Matthew achieved a landmark accomplishment by successfully representing the Santa Rosa County teacher's union in litigation to disaffiliate from state and national unions—the only local Florida teacher's union to accomplish this to date.

This groundbreaking case solidified Matthew's commitment to supporting local labor autonomy and led to his focus on representing independent organizations seeking to maintain local control of their operations and resources. He serves as general counsel for public employee labor organizations and consults nationally on issues relating to local union independence.

His approach combines thorough legal knowledge with a practical understanding of the challenges facing independent labor organizations. Clients appreciate his ability to translate complex legal concepts into actionable strategies that protect their autonomy while advancing their members' interests.

Matthew’s interest in the law began in 1993 when he participated in his first high school mock trial competition. This experience motivated him to ultimately attend law school and become a practicing attorney. In 2003 and 2004 he was an attorney coach for back to back national champion high school mock trial teams, and he still enjoys volunteering as a judge and scorer for local competitions.

When not advocating for local labor organizations, Matthew enjoys spending time with his wife Michelle and their twin boys, Joshua and Colm, who joined the family in late 2024.

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