APPOINTMENTS
Junior Counsel to the Crown (North West) - "Treasury Counsel" (since 2007)
PROFILE
Matthew’s personal injury practice is concentrated in multi-track litigation. He is adept at handling high value litigation in claims exceeding six figure sums. His work is split evenly between claimants and defendants.
He is frequently instructed in liability disputes at trial where complex cross examination or technical legal submissions are involved.
He has particular expertise in the following areas:-
1. Brain damage cases requiring significant care regimes.
2. Clinical negligence claims arising out of inept surgery; failed vasectomy, finger tendon repair and knee surgery.
3. Fatal Accident Act claims.
4. Industrial Disease litigation covering the full spectrum from asbestos exposure to dermatitis to repetitive strain injuries.
5. High value disputes concerning the future earning capacity of badly injured claimants.
Matthew advises and acts in high value, serious fraud proceedings particularly organised rings of fraudulent individuals and institutions. He also acts in cases involving malingering and false accounting.
He is fully conversant with insurance law principles and acts in claims for breach of insurance contracts frequently in cases involving breach of the utmost good faith.
Matthew has been described in legal directories as ‘very pragmatic who will always go the extra mile’ [Chambers
and Partners 2009] and ‘very firm but fair’ [Chambers and Partners 2008]. He adopts this highly regarded approach in his personal injury practice.
NOTABLE CASES
R (on the application of Bodycote HIP Ltd) v HM Coroner For Herefordshire [2008] EWHC 164 (Admin) – Fresh inquests into the deaths of two employees were ordered where the coroner had failed to direct the jury suffi ciently as to the law relating to unlawful killing by way of gross negligence where it had been asserted that the gross negligence concerned was that of a corporate entity.
Smyly Acheampong v Allied Manufacturing (London) Limited [2008] Central London County Court – Acted for the successful party in arguing that a large credit hire claim ought to be disallowed on the basis of anticipated illegal conduct in the future.
PUBLICATIONS
Author of “Financially Entwined” New Law Journal 13th August 2010 p1136-1137 and Co-Author of “Proving it in Reverse” 13th March 2009 p390-392.
‘Crash course in Low Velocity Impact claims’ New Law Journal 27th Jan 2006 p150–151
‘Restoring Disorder’ New Law Journal 8th Dec 2006 p1870–1871‘Restoring Disorder’ New Law Journal 8th Dec 2006 p1870–1871
Matthew has accepted an invitation to be one of a panel of personal injury experts writing articles for the publication The New Law Journal.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Matthew is experienced in public inquiry work having worked on the 1st phase of the Shipman Inquiry.
Matthew was a member of the British Debate Squad acting as an overseas debate coach in 2002. Matthew and his debating partner won the European Debating Championships 2001 and were ranked 6th at the World Debating Championships 2002.
Personal Injury CV
