Matthew Mills > Radcliffe Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Radcliffe Chambers Offices
11 NEW SQUARE, LINCOLN'S INN
LONDON
WC2A 3QB
England
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Matthew Mills
Career
Matthew is a commercial chancery barrister, with a particular emphasis on charities, private client, and property. He regularly appears in the High Court, and alongside full-time practice he is a Lecturer in Land Law at Oxford University.
Matthew is one of the few junior barristers who are ranked for charity law in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. He regularly advises charities across the country, from large international organisations to local trusts and start-ups, on governance issues and disputes. In court, Matthew is currently representing charities in proceedings relating to disputed elections, the control of religious buildings, and substantial disrepair to leasehold property.
Matthew is also ranked in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 for his private client work. Recently, he has advised personal representatives and beneficiaries of multi-million-pound and multi-jurisdiction estates on challenges to wills, disputes over estate properties, and the removal of executors. Matthew has also undertaken two secondments to Jersey, during which he assisted with substantial offshore trust disputes.
In the property world, Matthew’s expertise covers both land law and landlord and tenant law. Matthew’s recent work has involved advising and acting in disputes relating to landed estates, listed buildings, and substantial farms.
Memberships
- The Chancery Bar Association
- The Charity Law Association
- The Contentious Trusts Association (ConTrA)
- The Higher Education Academy (Associate Fellow)
- The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
- The Property Bar Association
Education
- 2015 – 2016 BPTC at City University (Outstanding)
- 2014 – 2015 BCL at the University of Oxford
- 2013 – 2014 LLM at UCL (Distinction, 1st in year overall of 443)
- 2010 – 2013 MA in Jurisprudence at the University of Oxford (First Class)
Prior to coming to the Bar, Matthew was a Lecturer in Land Law at the University of Oxford and a Teaching Fellow in Trusts at UCL. Matthew also worked as a Legal Editor for the start-up ‘Sparqa’, where he researched and wrote practical guides to the legal issues that are most relevant to small businesses, including mortgages, leases, service charges and possession claims.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Private client: trusts and probate
(Rising stars)Ranked: Tier 1Matthew Mills – Radcliffe Chambers ‘Matthew is an exceptional advocate. His clarity of thought under some extremely high-pressure circumstances in court is remarkable. His presentation skills are excellent. He relates to clients incredibly well and puts them at ease.’
Radcliffe Chambers is a ‘great set for contentious trusts and estates work’ with a ‘huge strength in depth and a range of counsel’. Robert Pearce KC represented the trustees in Attorney General v Zedra Fiduciary Services (UK) Ltd, a matter related to deciding the use of The National Fund, which was set up in 1928 with the aim of repaying the national debt off in full, a goal which became impossible – the court found the fund should be used to partially repay the national debt now. In Fraser v Khawaja, Oliver Hilton represented the attorney of the deceased intestate beneficiaries in a challenge to a will which was made in favour of an unknown person with no witnesses. Rising star Matthew Mills is an ‘impressive advocate’ who is currently representing the beneficiary of a matrimonial home in Re Ivor Percy James, a dispute over a codicil to a will shifting the testator’s interest in his matrimonial home from his grandchildren to his second wife. Other key members of the team include ‘immensely thorough advocate’ Piers Feltham and Daniel Burton, who is ‘always very helpful, responsive, and conscientious’.
London Bar > Charities
(Rising stars)Ranked: Tier 1Matthew Mills – Radcliffe Chambers ‘He is extremely client-friendly and exceptional on his feet.’