Attorney Profiles

Attorney Matthew Hardy Sloan (Matt) has been working in the law business for over 30 years.  Matt is a Bay City Blackcat, graduating class of 1986 and obtained his Bachelors of English Literature at Southwest Texas State University in 1991.  After working in several fields, including retail management, agriculture, and culinary arts, Matt returned to his family business to then attended Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in 2001.  He has been a member in good standing in the Texas State Bar for over 20 years, having set up his practice in Bay City, Texas a community with significant family connection. 

Matt is a third generation lawyer in Matagorda County and strives to bring competent and vigorous representation to his clients.  Matt has been honored to serve a variety of clients in legal matters involving divorce, custody, child support and property settlements, probate estates, estate planning, guardianship, criminal law and real estate matters.  He also works as a court appointed amicus attorney and ad litem attorney for family law, probate, and civil cases.  As of 2018, Matt has become a certified mediator in all family law matters and civil cases. 

Matt has served as the Secretary, Vice President, and President of the Matagorda/Wharton County Crisis Center, and is a strong advocate for spouses and children victims of domestic violence perpetrators, and has served on the CASA Board of Directors.  Matt has served for years in the Bay City Lions Club having served as the Chairman of the annual Rice Festival for two years.  He is a member of the Bay City Rotary Club.  "Giving back to the community is one of the most important activities we can perform, service is a superpower that creates a better world.  Finding resolutions sometimes can be a challenge, but one that is worth it."

Scott K. Boates was licensed May 1, 1992.  He specializes in family law, with a particular emphasis on child custody litigation on behalf of Dads, always preferring jury trials for a Dad’s case for primary custody.

In addition to family law, his practice areas include criminal defense, civil and criminal appeals, and probate law. 

Mr. Boates is known for his personal work ethic and passionate devotion to clients and their cases.

He focuses on complex cases, requiring thoughtful problem-solving, strategic planning and mastery of trial procedures.

Throughout his career, Mr. Boates has received several honors, including being named a “Top 10 Attorney” by Best of the Best Attorneys in 2021 and a “10 Best” by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys in 2020.  He served three terms as a City of Houston associate municipal court judge, and is published in Johnstone vs. The State of Texas, 22 S.W.3d 408 (Texas, 2000).

His law degrees are from the University of Houston Law Center and Temple University Beasley School of Law.

He is originally from Refugio, Texas, and has one child, Anna, his research assistant for his writing and trial practice.