Matthew Hill

Matthew has been ranked as a Band 1 Junior in Chambers & Partners since 2013. He has been instructed as Lead Junior Counsel to the Infected Blood Inquiry and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Previously, he worked on the Detainee Inquiry, the Al-Sweady Public Inquiry and the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. He has represented prominent Core Participants in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry and the Post Office Horizon IT Public Inquiry. He is assisting Angus McCullough KC in his independent review of the conduct of the Police Service of Northern Ireland arising from concerns raised in relation to surveillance of journalists and other groups.

He is ranked as a Star Individual by Chambers & Partners and a Tier 1 junior by Legal 500.

Selected Cases

• The McCullough Review (ongoing): Matthew is assisting Angus McCullough KC in conducting this review for the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
• Covid-19 Public Inquiry (ongoing): Matthew is instructed by the Government Office for Science.
• Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry (ongoing): Matthew is instructed by UK Government Investments.
• The Infected Blood Inquiry (2018-2024): Matthew was instructed as Lead Junior Counsel to the Inquiry, which examined the infection of NHS patients through the use of blood and blood products.
• The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (2016 – 2022): Matthew was Lead Junior Counsel to the Inquiry in one of its investigative strands and has advised on wider issues of public law.
• The Al-Sweady Public Inquiry (2010-2012): Matthew was part of the team representing more than 500 soldiers in a public inquiry into allegations of the mistreatment of detainees following a battle in Iraq.
• The Detainee Inquiry (2011-2012): Matthew acted for the Inquiry, which examined allegations of complicity by the UK in the rendition, torture and mistreatment of detainees overseas.
• The Bloody Sunday Inquiry (2002-2009): Matthew worked as an historian on the inquiry into the events of 30 January 1972, in which thirteen people were killed following a civil rights march in Northern Ireland. He worked with Counsel to the Inquiry and the Tribunal.

Matthew has been ranked as a Band 1 Junior in Chambers & Partners since 2013. He has acted as First Junior Counsel in the Hillsborough Inquests and in the renewed inquests into the Birmingham Pub Bombings.  He was counsel to one of the interested parties in the Westminster Bridge Inquests and has represented the families of those who died in the 2020 Reading Terror attack. He is also regularly instructed by the Rail, Air and Maritime Accident Investigation Branches.

Matthew is the co-editor of the second edition of  The Inquests Book: the Law of Coroners and Inquests, which is due to be published in 2025.

He is ranked as a Star Individual by Chambers & Partners and a Tier 1 junior by Legal 500.

Selected Cases

• Inquest into the death of Marta Elena Vento (ongoing): Matthew is instructed to represent the family of Marta, who was killed while at work by a recently released prisoner who had been diagnosed with psychosis.
• Inquests into the deaths of Michael Lewis and Gareth Delbridge (ongoing): Matthew is instructed by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch in the inquests into the deaths of two track workers, who were struck by a train while working on the line at Margam East Junction in July 2019.
• Reading Terror Attack Inquests (2024): Matthew was instructed to represent the families of the victims of the 2020 terror attacks in Forbury Gardens, Reading in this judge-led inquest before Sir Adrian Fulford PC.
• Inquest into the death of Egle Vengaliene (2023): Matthew was instructed as Counsel to the Inquiry in the inquest, which was resumed following an acquittal in a criminal trial for murder.
• Inquest into the death of SG (2020): Matthew appeared for the Ambulance Service at inquest into the death of man shot with crossbow by a neighbour.
• The Birmingham Inquests (1974) (2016 – 2019): Matthew was First Junior Counsel to the renewed inquests into the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974, in which 21 people were killed.
• The Westminster Bridge Inquests (2018): Matthew represented the London Ambulance Service in the inquests into the deaths resulting from the terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament in March 2017.
• The Hillsborough Inquests (2013-2016): Matthew acted as First Junior Counsel to the recent inquests into the deaths of 96 people in the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster.

Matthew represents claimants and defendants in a wide range of clinical negligence cases, including those involving catastrophic births, spinal injuries and mental health. He has also appeared in group litigation.  He has a particular interest in cases concerning secondary victims.

Matthew has extensive experience in representing families, practitioners and organisations at inquests, including before juries and in cases where the enhanced investigative duty under article 2 ECHR is engaged. He has appeared in inquests concerning multiple deaths and in complex medical and mental health cases.

He has experience in cross-jurisdictional clinical negligence claims, including those involving arguments on the selection of the appropriate discount rates.

Selected Cases

• AA v A Hospital Trust: Matthew represents the Claimant in a case concerning alleged delay in diagnosis and surgery in the case of a newborn child with an intra-parenchymal haematoma.
• A Claimant v A Hospital Trust: Matthew represents the Claimant in a catastrophic birth injury case concerning whether sufficient information was provided to a mother to allow for informed consent on an elective C-section.
• A Claimant v An Ambulance Trust: Matthew acted for the Claimant, who was paralysed following a failure to immobilise her prior to transportation to hospital.
• DD v A Hospital Trust: Matthew represented the Claimant, who lost her sight following a delayed diagnosis of giant cell arteritis.
• EE v A Hospital Trust: Claims for psychiatric injury arising from the death of a child at birth, following Paul and another v Royal Wolverhampton [2024] UKSC.
• BB v NHS Trust & Dr E & Dr KS: Matthew acted for the family of young man who died in hospital following alleged failures to diagnose his condition.
• CH v s GP: Matthew defended his client in claim relating to suspected vitamin B12 deficiency.
• AA v An NHS Trust: Matthew represented the claimant in a cauda equina case.
• LXH v Imperial Healthcare College NHS Trust: Matthew acted for the claimant in a cross-jurisdictional catastrophic birth claim. Led by Henry Witcomb Q.C.
• A. v Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust: Matthew acted for the claimant in a cross-jurisdictional catastrophic birth claim. Led by Christina Lambert Q.C.
• CCC v Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust: Matthew acted for the claimant in a catastrophic birth claim.  Led by Angus McCullough QC
• Felix-Thompson Bland v Royal Surrey County Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Matthew acted for the claimant in a catastrophic birth claim.  Led by Angus McCullough QC
• The PIP Breast Implant Group Litigation: Matthew acted for a number of private surgeons in complex group litigation proceedings arising from the withdrawal of PIP breast implants.  Led by Stephen Miller QC.

Matthew has acted in a wide range of public law cases, including those involving medical law, inquiries and inquests, national security, information rights and human rights.

He represented the Security Service in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in respect of the civil claims arising from the Manchester Arena bombings (led by Neil Sheldon KC). He has recently appeared in the Court of Appeal for the Secretary of State in joined appeals concerning the revocation of Tier 2 sponsors licences held by care homes (led by David Manknell KC). He is representing the families of the victims of the Reading Terror attacks in Human Rights Act 1998 claims brought against various state agencies (led by Peter Skelton KC).

He appeared in the Court of Protection on behalf of the Home Secretary in a case concerning the best interests of Sergei and Yulia Skripal following their poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok (led by Sir James Eadie KC). He was instructed in the High Court and Court of Appeal judicial review proceedings arising out of the Birmingham Inquests (1974), which concern the scope of inquests and the interrelationship of coronial and criminal proceedings (led by Peter Skelton KC).

Matthew has developed experience in matters concerning PII, including applications in the Family Court. He is the co-author of the chapter concerning anonymity, PII and protective measures in the  Inquests Book: the Law of Coroners and Inquests (Hart Publishing, 2016), the second edition of which will be published in 2025.

Matthew has also been instructed on matters ranging from freedom of information requests concerning the allowances paid to former Prime Ministers, to the procedural fairness of the policies of the General Medical Council in charging disciplinary cases.

Selected Cases

• Various Claimants v Security Service and ors [2024] UKIPTrib 6: Judgment on limitation in HRA 1998 claims arising from the Manchester Arena bombings. Matthew represented the Security Service and other Respondents (led by Neil Sheldon KC).
• R (Prestwick Care Ltd and ors) v SSHD (CA-2023-002296) and R (Supporting Care Ltd) v SSHD  (CA-2024-000284) (judgment awaited): Joined appeals concerning the revocation of Tier 2 sponsors licences from care home providers. Matthew represented the Secretary of State (led by David Manknell KC).
• Gibbons v Information Commissioner and Cabinet Office (FT/EA/2024/0434) (ongoing): Matthew represents the Cabinet Office in an information rights case concerning the papers of the Ministerial Committee on Animal Rights Extremism.
• Cabinet Office v Information Commissioner (FT/EA/2024/0314): Matthew represented the Cabinet Office in a case concerning the Public Duty Costs Allowance available to former Prime Ministers.
• Inquest into the Death of Archie Battersbee (2022): Matthew represented the Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care, making submissions on whether the inquest should consider the intervention of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities during the circumstances preceding Archie’s death.
• Elgizouli v Secretary of State for the Home Department UKSC (2019): on appeal from [2019] EWHC 60 (Admin): Case concerning former British citizens who travelled to Syria and are accused of involvement in terrorism and murder.
• KV (Sri Lanka) v SSHD [2019] UKSC 10: Matthew represented the Secretary of State in in the Supreme Court in a case concerning the correct approach to the assessment of medical evidence in asylum claims (led by Neil Sheldon KC).
• SSHD v Sergei and Yulia Skripal and anr [2018] EWCOP 6: Successful application for an order allowing the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to obtain blood samples from two unconscious victims of poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok. (Law Pod UK, ep. 124)
• R (Hambleton and others) v The Coroner for the Birmingham Inquests (1974) [2018] EWHC 56 (Admin): High Court and Court of Appeal proceedings concerning the scope of the renewed inquests into the Birmingham pub bombings, and the question of whether they should seek to identify the perpetrators of the bombings.
• Kamoka and others v The Security Service and others: Litigation concerning allegations of UK collusion and involvement in rendition and mistreatment of claimants overseas.
• GW v (1) The Information Commissioner, (2) The Cabinet Office [2017] UKUT 312 (AAC): Matthew represented the Cabinet Office in a case concerning a freedom of information request for details of the Public Duty Cost Allowance paid to former Prime Ministers.
• X, Y and Z v United Kingdom (Application no. 32666/10): Application to the European Court of Human Rights, alleging violations of articles 3, 6, 8 and 13 in respect of a local authority’s failure to re-house a family that was subsequently subjected to violence and abuse in their home.
• CM v General Medical Council: Judicial review proceedings that led to the first successful challenge of the GMC’s ‘pilot scheme’ for charging Fitness to Practise allegations.

Matthew has acted for registrants at all stages of GMC and GDC proceedings.  He has appeared for doctors and dentists facing allegations of dishonesty and serious professional misconduct at both the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service and the Professional Conduct Committee of the GDC.

Matthew has also represented clients in internal trust proceedings and at inquests. He has advised on a range of medico-legal matters, including those relating to consent and confidentiality and data protection.

Selected Cases

• General Medical Council v Dr C: Matthew represented a doctor accused of clinical failings and dishonesty in a case involving the retrospective alteration of medical notes.
• General Dental Council v Dr P: Matthew represented a dentist in a case concerning allegations of dishonesty and misconduct arising from clinical practice.
• Mr C: Matthew represented a surgeon following the death of a patient resulting from errors made during an operation. Matthew appeared at internal trust proceedings and the inquest, and also advices in respect of GMC and criminal investigations.
• CM v General Medical Council: Judicial review proceedings that led to the first successful challenge of the GMC’s ‘pilot scheme’ for charging Fitness to Practise allegations.
• General Medical Council v CM: Matthew was led by Christina Lambert Q.C. in lengthy and complex disciplinary proceedings involving allegations of misconduct arising from spinal surgery performed on a number of patients.