Our Expertise
St Pauls Chambers provides legal services throughout the UK and worldwide. We are known for providing excellence in our areas of focus.
As a leading barristers chambers in Leeds, our expertise span the depth and breadth of a number of key areas of law.
Our People
St Pauls Chambers have an excellent team of Barristers, Clerks & Administration, with our barristers including KC’s, Members and Pupils.
View our teams in full detail, or browse by expertise to find a barrister.
Call 2020
Matthew enjoys a mixed practice, primarily accepting instructions in all areas of Criminal Law as well as Private and Public Law Children
Matthew’s practice continues to develop at speed and he has developed renown as a hardworking, meticulous and articulate advocate, and has received particular praise for his manner with clients, his reassuring Courtroom presence, and the standard of his submissions, both written and oral, exceeding his level of Call.
Matthew enjoys a mixed criminal practice and is regularly instructed for both Prosecution and Defence in all areas of crime in the Crown Court. His experience spans myriad offences which include sexual offences both recent and historic, violent offences, dishonesty offences, drugs trafficking offences, and people trafficking offences. This experience has demonstrated a proficiency in dealing with complex and challenging issues such as expert witnesses and an ability to marshal complex evidential issues such as cell-site analysis and telephone evidence.
Matthew also has experience of private prosecutions such as those involving the RSPCA and an increasing instruction in fraud, and Proceeds of Crime Act matters for which he has developed particular expertise.
Matthew is a Grade 3 CPS panel advocate and is a RASSO prosecutor and is on the CPS Specialist Crime CPS serious Crime Panel Level 2.
Instructed by Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate of the Crown Prosecution Service as prosecution junior to James Lake to prosecute a police officer who had stolen up to 4kg of cocaine from Greater Manchester Police evidence stores and supplied back onto the streets of the Greater Manchester area as well as various acts of misconduct in public office relating to his use of sensitive police systems. The Defendant was convicted following a trial in Liverpool Crown Court and sentenced to 19 years’ custody.
Operation Novel - Led Junior
Instructed by the HMRC and the Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate of the Crown Prosecution Service as prosecution junior to Angus MacDonald and James Lake respectively in two trials concerning the evasion of VAT, both led to convictions. The first part concerning the illegal sale of kerosene and the latter the illegal use of kerosene and other rebated fuels in HGVs.
Operation Rest
Prosecution junior, successful prosecution in 6-handed conspiracy to Supply Class A and B drugs in Hull. th Defendant charged with violent disorder within a Youth Offenders Institute
Operation Ashencold
Represented a Defendant at trial, lasting 3 months, who was charged with participation in a large-scale conspiracy to facilitate unlawful immigration to the UK.
R v Afewerki Musse [2024] EWCA Crim 1012
Successful appeal against a sentence of 20 months’ imprisonment for an offence of unlawful entry to the UK, sentence substituted for 12-month term.
R v H
Represented Defendant at trial charged with historic sexual abuse of stepdaughters spanning many years.
R v R
Successfully represented Defendant at trial charged with a range of serious violent offences alleged by a former romantic partner.
R v W
Represented Defendant charged with s.18 GBH involving the loss of an eye of his romantic partner, the Defendant was convicted only of s.20 GBH.
R v Y
Represented Defendant charged with fraud conspiracy crossing jurisdictional boundaries.
R v A
Successfully represented Defendant charged with arson with intent to endanger life.
R v T, T, T, L, L, L & L
Successful prosecution of 7-handed affray.
R a A (ongoing)
Instructed by Insolvency Service to prosecute Defendant in alleged Covid Bounce-Back Loan fraud and Companies Act offences.
Matthew has established a practice in child law, both public and private representing all parties.
Matthew has received instruction in cases which involve issues of drug misuse, non-accidental injury, neglect (including medical negligence) as well as physical and sexual abuse. He has been instructed for parents who have varying mental health and learning difficulties and has been praised for his compassionate treatment of their needs.
Matthew is regularly instructed in the Family Courts, in private and public law children matters and appears for parents, local authorities, and Children’s Guardian, at various stages of proceedings up to and including final hearings.
Re K - Led Junior
Led by Simon Bickler KC for the Children’s Guardian in a case where both parents lacked capacity, they were facing allegations of both neglect and of sexual abuse of a child who also suffered from significant learning difficulties.
Re K, G & L - Led Junior
Led by Simon Bickler KC for the Children’s Guardian in a composite final hearing spanning 7 weeks involving allegations of sexual and physical abuse both historic and recent.
Re H & J
Counsel for the Local Authority in a 6-day hearing involving a mother appearing in-person and an intervenor involving allegations of abuse by both the mother and intervenor.
Re I
Counsel for a mother with significant mental health and learning disabilities in a final hearing for adoption.
RASSO Panel
CPS General Crime Advocate Panel Level 3
CPS Specialist Crime Division Panel Level 2
Chambers is centrally located within walking distance of the train station, secure car parks and the Courts.
St Pauls Chambers
Park Row House
19-20 Park Row
Leeds
LS1 5JF
For out of hours assistance please call the senior clerk on 07854170429.
The switchboard will open from 08:30 until 17:30
Phone: +44 (0)1132 455 866
Email: [email protected]
CJSM: [email protected]
