________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Market shifts, data proliferation, and regulation create pressure for companies that operate across media, technology, and communications. Cision sits at the center of that pressure, handling data flows, analytics, and communication tools for organizations globally. As expectations shift around privacy, AI, and content, its legal function must keep pace with both business growth and compliance demands. Matt Royack, General Counsel at Cision, operates within that space and helps the company navigate change while maintaining consistency.
Matt sums up his approach with a core principle:“ One of my mantras has always been quality work in a timely manner,” he shares.“ You focus on what is in front of you and make sure you deliver consistently. That is what people rely on.” Such a mindset guides his leadership, especially during acquisitions, ownership changes, or rapid growth. After ten years, his role continues to evolve alongside the business.“ I do not need to change jobs because my job changes around me,” he adds.“ The company evolves, naturally creating new challenges and opportunities within the role.” in-house. The move positioned him to get there.“ But I understood you needed experience first, because there is not really an entry-level path into those roles.”
His career led him to Micros, then to a healthcare data company, before joining Cision in 2016. At the time, the legal team was small.“ It was just my boss and me. Over time, we built that into a global team, one that grew both organically and through acquisitions,” he remembers.
Managing through change
Cision’ s legal team operates across contracts, revenue, and compliance. As leadership and markets change, Matt focuses on execution.“ There are things you can control and cannot control. One thing you cannot control is leadership changes or market conditions. But you can control how you respond to the work in front of you,” he points out.
“ You have work to do, so you do it. When a contract comes in, you ensure it’ s addressed so the deal can close. It keeps the business moving.”
Path to in-house
Matt entered the legal profession in 2007 and started out at a small firm in Maryland. That environment demanded breadth and adaptability.“ It was a small firm, and the benefit was that you got to do everything. You were in front of clients, working on transactions, and in the courtroom, often in the same week,” he recalls.
That early exposure shaped how he approached the law.“ You really cut your teeth as a generalist. You learn to think on your feet and shift from one issue to another because clients bring you whatever they need help with,” he reflects.
Over time, he focused on business transactions and moved to a larger firm with software clients. He had always wanted to go
60