Profile

Matthew was called to the Bar in 2004 and is a foundation member of Waratah Chambers.

In addition to being a barrister, Matthew is an accredited Family Law Mediator (AIFLAM) and an accredited Family Law Arbitrator (AIFLAM).

Matthew’s practice sees him retained nationwide in a wide variety of matters, including but not limited to complex matrimonial disputes. He is renowned for his methodical and strategic approach to litigation. In that regard, Matthew has been successively recognised by the “Doyle’s Guide to Australian Legal Practitioners” as “leading” in this field of his primary endeavour.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Matthew was employed in various in-house roles within the Office of the C.E.O. of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Subsequent to the Bank, Matthew accepted an invitation extended by former colleagues to be appointed the company secretary and external counsel to an international but Australian based currency brokerage and market advisory firm.

Matthew continues to be retained by financial institutions and government authorities, both for advice and to appear on their behalf. As such, Matthew has longstanding and broad experience in legal, corporate and commercial concerns. Matthew thus has experience in matters involving bankruptcy, insolvency, guardianship and commercial disputes.
In the Family Law context, Matthew’s experience is of particular utility given the increasingly complex interactions with corporations, trusts, income, taxation, capital and debt. This, combined with his extensive trial experience, uniquely places Matthew to advise your client. Matthew also appears on behalf of litigation guardians, where the litigant is incapacitated. Further, he appears on behalf of estates.

Matthew also practises in the area of succession, having advised and appeared in the Supreme Court of New South Wales both as to disputes regarding the provenance of wills and family provision.

It is noted that Matthew is also widely recognised and retained in parenting matters. Over the course of his career he has appeared in countless trials and interim hearings involving the welfare and parenting of children. He has variously represented parents, grandparents and children (as counsel for the Independent Children’s Lawyer). Further, he has cross-examined almost all of the regularly appointed Court experts in the field of Child and Family psychiatry. Matthew adopts a strategic approach to parenting matters, such that the best interests of children can be identified and advocated for.