Matthew Hill

Inquests

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. Recent editorial includes:

• “There is no other junior who has as broad and deep a level of experience. He is a true force of nature and is extremely impressive on expert evidence.” Chambers & Partners 2026
• “Matthew is hard-working and forensic in his approach, with strong advocacy and client care skills.” Chambers & Partners 2026
• “Matthew is outstanding. He is a very thorough, clever and measured advocate.” Chambers & Partners 2026
• “He is a fantastic lawyer, hugely hard-working and reliable.” Legal 500 2026
• “Matthew has a very analytical approach to things. He is very hard-working.” Chambers & Partners 2025
• “Matthew is meticulous in his preparation and he is a real authority.” Chambers & Partners 2025
• “Matthew has a very nice advocacy style, but above all, he is extremely well organised and marshals his submissions very well. He completely gets on top of the facts.” Chambers & Partners 2025
• “Matthew is nothing short of a machine and nothing is ever too much. The quality of his work in writing is exceptional.” Chambers & Partners 2025
• “Matthew is simply the strongest inquest and inquiries junior in the market.  Fair-minded and trusted.” Legal 500 2025

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.