Practice Overview
Matthew has forged a strong reputation in all areas of children and family work and regularly receives instructions from Local Authorities, Guardians, Children, the Official Solicitor, vulnerable adults, parents, family members and intervenors.
Matthew is a highly experienced and knowledgeable advocate who has an established a strong reputation for his excellent forensic preparation and cross examination together with his pragmatic and tactical approach to his instructions.
Matthew has been approved as Panel Advocate for the Welsh Government since August 2017
-
Children (Public Law)
Matthew has substantial experience in acting for all parties involved in care, adoption proceedings and special guardianship, inluding those with an international element.
Matthew has appeared before all levels of tribunal including the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and prior to taking silk regularly undertook complex matters without the benefit of Leading Counsel.
Matthew has a detailed knowledge of the legal and social care issues relating to local authority planning and decision making for children. Matthew undertakes a significant amount of work for the largest Local Authorities in Wales and has gained the confidence of many Heads of Service.
Matthew has experience in the following areas:
- Serious physical injury including non accidental head injury.
- Physical injury arising from underlying medical conditions including CTD.
- Sexual abuse.
- Fabricated and induced illness (FII).
- Reporting restriction orders (RRO).
- Injunctive relief under the inherent jurisdiction.
- Disclosure and public interest immunity (PII) issues relating to children including joint hearings in the Crown Court.
- Radicalisation.
- Applications under the Hague Convention.
- Parental Alienation.
-
Court of Protection
Matthew’s practice spans the full range of mental capacity law and the interface between the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
-
Notable Cases
Re T (A Child) (2021) UKSC 35
Re TS (Children) (2019) EWCA Civ 742
A Local Health Board v Y (A Child) and Others [2016] EWHC 206
A short judgment of Baker J under the inherent jurisdiction granting a health trust’s application to withhold and to withdraw medical treatment given to a 6-month old baby with extensive brain damage, palsy and who had suffered multiple cardiac arrests.P -S (Children) [2013] EWCA Civ 223
Judgments (22/03/2013)
Appeal by a child who had been denied the opportunity to give oral evidence in care proceedings. Appeal dismissed.H v City and County of Swansea [2011] EWCA Civ 195
Appeal in care proceedings by mother against fact finding that she should be included in pool of possible perpetrators. Appeal allowed.W (A Child) [2010] EWCA Civ 321
Application by mother for permission to appeal, with appeal to follow, an interim care order. Application refused.B (Children) [2008] EWCA Civ 835
Application by parents for permission to appeal, with appeal to follow, care and placement orders. Appeal allowed.AJ (A Child) [2007] EWCA Civ 55
Appeal against by parents against an order dispensing with the need for their consent to adoption on the grounds that it was being unreasonably withheld. Appeal dismissed.Re Y (Leave to Remove from Jurisdiction) [2004] 2 FLR 330
-
Seminars and Lectures
Matthew regularly provides training for local authority lawyers and social workers and lectures in chambers’ seminars. In the recent past he has spoken on topics such as local authority decision making, local authority accommodation and compliance with the PLWG Guidance in respect of pre proceedings. and revocation of adoption orders.
