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 is counsel to one of the interested parties in the Westminster Bridge Inquests.
He represents families, practitioners and institutions at inquests. He has developed considerable experience in mental health cases, prison deaths, and cases involving multiple deaths and complex medical issues. He has appeared regularly before juries and has acted in litigation concerning the engagement of article 2 ECHR.
Matthew is the co-author, with Sir Neil Garnham, of a chapter on anonymity, PII and protective measures in the Inquests Book: the Law of Coroners and Inquests (Hart Publishing, 2016).
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 AG (2020):Matthew represented the family in an inquest into the death of a man following a stroke.
- 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.
Inquests into Reading terror attack begin - Jan 2024
Peter Skelton KC and Matthew Hill are representing the families of James Furlong, Joseph Ritchie-Bennett and David Wails at the inquests into their deaths, which begin today. The three men were...
Members of 1COR act in the Covid Inquiry - Dec 2023
Module 2 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is drawing to a close, with evidence from the Prime Minister due to be heard on Monday 11 December, followed by closing submissions. This module considered core...
Law Pod UK Ep. 182: Unlawful Killing in Inquests: All Change? - Apr 2023
Emma-Louise Fenelon speaks to Matthew Hill of 1 Crown Office Row about three recent decisions concerning unlawful killing. Plus: we want your feedback! Please take a couple of minutes to fill in...
Shaheen Rahman QC and Matt Hill appear as CTI in Joe Pooley Inquest - Aug 2022
The inquest touching the death of Joe Pooley concluded on Friday 29 July 2022. Shaheen Rahman QC and Matt Hill were instructed by the Area Coroner for Suffolk to appear as Counsel to the Inquest. ...
1COR Quarterly Medical Law Review – Summer/Autumn 2021 – Issue 10 - Jan 2022
Welcome to the tenth issue of the QMLR, brought to you by the barristers at 1 Crown Office Row to update you on developments in Summer and Autumn 2021. Download the Summer/Autumn 2021 newsletter...
Investigation into the institutional response to allegations of child sexual abuse involving Lord Janner published - Oct 2021
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) 17th report into the investigation into institutional response to allegations of child sexual abuse involving Lord Janner has been published...
Healthcare Inquests & Covid-19 – Where Are We Now? - May 2021
Join Chair Caroline Cross and expert speakers Shaheen Rahman QC, Matthew Hill and Rajkiran Barhey as they discuss healthcare inquests and Covid-19 at 2pm today. Caroline will begin by looking at...
1COR Quarterly Medical Law Review – Autumn 2020 – Issue 7 - Feb 2021
Welcome to the seventh issue of the Quarterly Medical Law Review, brought to you by the barristers at 1 Crown Office Row. This issue was unfortunately somewhat delayed but covers developments in...
Law Pod UK Ep. 124: The last Novichok poisoning with Matthew Hill - Sep 2020
The Russian political dissident Alexei Navalny is still in an induced coma in a hospital in Berlin after being poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok on a flight from Siberia to Moscow on the 20th...
JUSTICE Report ‘When Things Go Wrong: the response of the justice system’ - Aug 2020
The Working Group of JUSTICE, chaired by former 1COR member Sir Robert Owen, have published their report addressing the undermining of public trust in the response of the justice system to deaths:...
Congratulations on our Six Members appointed to the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel - Aug 2020
We are delighted to announce that Isabel McArdle and Matthew Hill have been appointed to the B Panel of Counsel, with Jessica Elliott, Gideon Barth, Emma-Louise Fenelon and Jonathan Metzer appointed...
Law Pod UK Ep. 120: Internment in Northern Ireland with Matthew Hill - Jul 2020
The recent ruling by the Supreme Court that Gerry Adams, the former leader of Sinn Féin, had been unlawfully detained and convicted in the 1970s has elicited some severe criticism from high places,...
Is this too sensitive? Dealing with difficult issues in Inquests and Inquiries - Oct 2019
Welcome to an evening of debate with three teams of 1COR speakers with extensive experience in their roles in major inquests and inquiries. They will discuss the different perspectives and lessons...
Public Hearings begin in The Infected Blood Inquiry - May 2019
On 30th April 2019, the first public hearings of the Infected Blood Inquiry were held in London. More are planned over the next year in Belfast, Leeds, Edinburgh and Cardiff. The Inquiry is chaired by...
The Birmingham Pub Bombings Inquest concludes - Apr 2019
On 5th April 2019, the jury returned its determination in the Birmingham Inquests 1974, which concerned the deaths of 21 people in the Birmingham Pub Bombings on 21 November 1974. The jury...
The Birmingham Pub Bombings Inquest opens - Feb 2019
On 25th February 2019 the Birmingham Inquests 1974, also known as the Birmingham Pub Bombings Inquest, officially commenced. The inquest is looking into the deaths of 21 people who died in or near the...
1COR hitting the headlines with Martin Forde QC, Jeremy Hyam QC and Matthew Hill featured in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 2019 - Jan 2019
Delighted to have our members featured in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 for an outstanding year for Martin Forde QC, Jeremy Hyam QC and Matthew Hill. 1COR are proud to have the most members from a single...
Infected Blood Inquiry announces innovative plans to allow individuals to give evidence anonymously - Jan 2019
The Infected Blood Inquiry has announced innovative plans to allow individuals to give evidence through appointed intermediaries. The intermediaries will visit those who request their support and then...
Matthew Hill succeeds in former PM costs case - Dec 2018
Matthew Hill has successfully defended the right to privacy and confidentiality of former Prime Ministers and their employees in a claim arising from the Freedom of Information Act. The Public Duty...
Neil Sheldon and Matthew Hill in Supreme Court over the correct approach to the assessment of medical evidence in asylum claims - Dec 2018
Neil Sheldon and Matthew Hill have appeared in the Supreme Court in a case concerning whether an asylum seeker’s scars were inflicted by torture or as the result of a planned procedure carried out...
Delighted to have 1COR, Lizanne Gumbel QC and Matthew Hill nominated in the Legal 500 Awards - Dec 2018
We are pleased to announce that our chambers and two members have been nominated for the Legal 500 Awards in recognition of their hard work. 1 Crown Office Row has been nominated for 'Personal...
Peter Skelton QC, Matthew Hill and Gideon Barth successful in Court of Appeal inquests challenge - Sep 2018
The Court of Appeal today handed down judgment in a case arising from the renewed inquests into the Birmingham Pub Bombings. The case concerns the breadth of investigation that a coroner must...
Matthew Hill and Michael Deacon instructed as junior counsel to the Infected Blood Inquiry - Sep 2018
During the 1970s and 1980s, thousands of people (the precise number remains unknown) in the UK were infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV by blood products administered to them, in most cases in order...
Neil Sheldon and Matthew Hill instructed in the Westminster Bridge Inquests - Sep 2018
Neil Sheldon and Matthew Hill are instructed in inquests into the deaths arising from the Westminster Bridge terror attack in March 2017. Neil appears for the Home Secretary, instructed by GLD. ...
Peter Skelton QC, Matthew Hill and Gideon Barth in Court of Appeal inquests challenge - Jul 2018
Peter Skeleton QC, Matthew Hill and Gideon Barth have appeared before the Lord Chief Justice in the Court of Appeal in a case arising from the renewed inquests into the Birmingham Pub Bombings of...
Matthew Hill has been instructed as lead junior counsel to the Infected Blood Inquiry - Apr 2018
The inquiry will examine the use by the NHS of blood products that were contaminated with HIV, Hepatitis C and other infections. Many of the products were imported and obtained from high-risk donor...
Owain Thomas QC and Matthew Hill applied for a court order allowing the OPCW to analyse blood samples taken from victims of the Salisbury nerve agent attack - Mar 2018
Owain Thomas QC and Matthew Hill have successfully applied for a court order allowing the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to conduct analysis of blood samples taken from...
Law Pod UK Ep. 18: Do Judge Led Inquiries work? - Nov 2017
With ongoing public inquiries into tainted blood (now the Infected Blood Inquiry) and historic child sexual abuse, Matthew Hill and Gideon Barth discuss the effectiveness of judge led inquiries with...
Shaheen Rahman QC and Matthew Hill speak at the annual Justice Human Rights Law Conference - Oct 2017
This year Shaheen Rahman QC and Matthew Hill both spoke at the annual Justice Human Rights Law Conference on Friday 13 October, held at the London offices of Freshfields. Both were delighted to have...
1 COR Annual Magazine: Bundle now available for clients and colleagues - Jul 2017
1 Crown Office Row produces a magazine each summer comprising news and a review of the key cases and legal work undertaken by Members of Chambers. The editorial team this year was steered by 1COR...
Matthew Hill helps family obtain neglect finding at inquest into respite care death - Jul 2017
Matthew Hill helps family obtain neglect finding at inquest into respite care death. Emily Bushaway was a 21 year old woman with Niemann-Pick Disease, a rare genetic condition that left her wholly...
Unlawful Killing – Hillsborough Inquest Handed Down - Apr 2016
The 96 inquests into the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster concluded on 26th April 2016. Christina Lambert QC was appointed by the Coroner, Sir John Goldring, in March 2013 to lead the Coroner's team of 7...
Christina Lambert QC Lead Counsel to the new Hillsborough Inquests with Matthew Hill and Paul Reynolds as Junior Counsel - Mar 2014
Christina Lambert QC is acting as Lead Counsel to the new Hillsborough Inquests, with a team of Junior Counsel including Matthew Hill and Paul Reynolds. The original inquests into the tragedy in...
Philippa Whipple QC lead Counsel to the Detainee Inquiry assisted by Matthew Hill - Dec 2013
The report of the Detainee Inquiry led by Sir Peter Gibson has been published by the Government. Philippa Whipple QC was lead counsel to the Inquiry. Matthew Hill was also involved as Counsel. The...
Christina Lambert QC has been appointed as Lead Counsel to the new Hillsborough Inquests with Matthew Hill as Junior Counsel - Apr 2013
Christina Lambert QC has been appointed as Lead Counsel to the new Hillsborough Inquests, with Matthew Hill appointed as Junior Counsel. The original inquests into the tragedy in which 96 spectators...
Nine members of 1COR involved in Al-Sweady Public Inquiry - Mar 2013
After more than three years of preliminary investigations, Monday, 4 March marked the commencement of oral hearings in the Al-Sweady Public Inquiry. The Inquiry was announced by the Secretary of State...
New Appointments to the Attorney General’s A, B and C Panels – February 2013 - Feb 2013
