The Legal 500

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Web:
www.matrixlaw.co.uk
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Since inception, Matrix has almost tripled its members, and now has 67 members with legal practices which are multi-disciplinary and cover in excess of 25 practice areas. Members are involved in cases at the highest level.

The set: Recently celebrating its tenth anniversary, Matrix was formed by 23 barristers from a wide range of legal disciplines who recognised that common principles of constitutional, European and international law increasingly influence their areas of expertise. They saw that these developments, new legislation and changes in the funding of legal services provided major challenges to lawyers practising at the Bar. Together, they agreed on the need for a new organisation to meet these challenges – an organisation committed to excellence in all areas of service delivery, to innovation in responding to change, and to working in new ways to meet the needs of clients.

Since Matrix opened for business, it has been joined by other established professionals and by barristers starting out in practice. Matrix uses paralegals and legal researchers to provide case and research support to members and clients. Matrix has associates worldwide.

Matrix is founded on ‘core values’ including the independence of its practitioners, and a commitment to quality services, innovation, equality of opportunity and the provision of training opportunities.

Types of work undertaken: The members of Matrix provide advice and representation in a wide range of disciplines before courts in England and other parts of the UK, before international courts, and before national and international arbitration tribunals. Its clients include solicitors and other law firms, governments, public agencies and authorities, non-governmental organisations, intergovernmental groups, private companies and individuals. Matrix’s services also include research and consultancy on legal and policy matters and in-house training and seminars.

Matrix has some of the leading lawyers in all of the practice areas listed but is unique in being able to combine experts in different areas of law into teams of advisers and advocates. Experience confirms that common principles of law increasingly link different practice areas and the set believes that cross-disciplinary strengths are of increasing benefit to clients. The principal areas of practice are in:

Commercial and competition law;

Crime, criminal due process and regulatory law;

Criminal and civil fraud;

Discrimination and equality law;

Education law and community care;

Employment law;

Environmental law;

European Union law;

Human rights law;

Immigration, asylum and free movement;

Inquiries;

International law and international arbitration;

Media and information law;

Prison and inquest law; and

Public law.

In addition to its main areas of practice, Matrix also has extensive experience in health law, mental capacity and mental health law, sports law, local government law and tax law.

For further information on the expertise of members of Matrix, visit the website at: www.matrixlaw.co.uk.

Above material supplied by Matrix Chambers ().

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • HOUSING

    In Nzinga Maswaku v Westminster City Council [2012] EWCA Civ 669 the Court of Appeal clarified that in offering a homeless person with alternative temporary accommodation the local authority is obliged to point that if the offer is refused it has discharged its Part VII duties under the Housing Act 1996.
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  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
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  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
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  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
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  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
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  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
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  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW
  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
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  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
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  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue: