1 Crown Office Row welcomes Matthew Howarth - Jul 2026
Matthew is a specialist public law barrister with particular expertise in immigration law and judicial review. His practice also encompasses statutory appeals, inquests, public inquiries and regulatory law
Matthew has particular expertise in detention, human rights, asylum support, sponsor licence, and civil penalties litigation, and appears regularly in the High Court and Upper Tribunals.
Matthew is ranked Band 1 ‘Leading Junior’ by Legal 500 in Administrative Law and Human Rights and Immigration, and is appointed to the Attorney General’s Civil B Panel, the Serious Fraud Office Panel C, the Specialist Regulatory Panel B, and the CPS Panel.
Matthew has acted in some of the most high-profile and complex matters in those fields. His recent experience includes:
- Phone Hacking Scandal (Leveson Inquiry) (2011–2012): Matthew represented Hacked Off, a victims’ rights group advocating for a free and accountable press, in connection with the Leveson Inquiry, he was instructed in 2016-17 to asses the Victim’s Rights of Review following DPP’s decision not to pursue prosecutions.
- Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (Diocese of Chichester / Peter Ball investigation) (2019): Matthew was appointed to review evidence in the IICSA investigation concerning the Diocese of Chichester and Peter Ball; the investigation page is dated 25 June 2019, while the Inquiry’s final statutory report was later published on 20 October 2022.
- Glencore Prosecution (2022): Matthew was instructed as Junior Panel Counsel for the Serious Fraud Office in the Glencore bribery prosecution; Glencore Energy (UK) Ltd was charged on 24 May 2022, pleaded guilty on 21 June 2022, and was sentenced on 3 November 2022.
- COVID-19 Inquiry (2022–present): Matthew is acting as junior counsel for the Health and Safety Executive in the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, which formally commenced on 28 June 2022, began preliminary hearings in October 2022, and started full public hearings on 13 June 2023.
- Ogilvy (aka Alakija) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2024) EWCA Civ 315: A significant Court of Appeal decision concerning statelessness and deportation. Matthew represented the Secretary of State.
- KLG Trucking SRL v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2024) EWCA Civ 737: The leading Court of Appeal authority on carrier liability and civil penalties. Matthew represented the Secretary of State.
- One Trees Estates Ltd v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2024) EWHC 1644 (Admin): A leading case on sponsor licence revocation, discretion, global assessment, and the application of Tameside principles. Matthew represented the Secretary of State.
- BLZ v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2025) EWHC 153 (Admin): The leading authority on safe release from immigration detention and Home Office bail accommodation. Matthew represented the Secretary of State.
- R (J’s Supermarket Ltd) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2025) EWHC 1933 (Admin): A leading case on procedural fairness and dishonesty in sponsor licence revocation. Matthew represented the Secretary of State.
- Prestige Social Care Services Ltd v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2025) EWHC 2860 (Admin) and R (J’s Supermarket Ltd) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2025) EWHC 1933 (Admin): Matthew is appearing as lead counsel for the Secretary of State in the Court of Appeal in the pending sponsor licence appeals.
- R (on the application of MM) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2026) EWHC 448 (Admin): A case concerning the Equality Act 2010 in the immigration detention context. Matthew represented the Secretary of State.
- R (Hossain) v Secretary of State for Justice (2026) EWHC 862 (Admin): A case concerning Article 8 and procedural fairness in the imposition of a licence exclusion zone. Matthew represents the Secretary of State for Justice.
