‘Go-to’ set St Ives Chambers is ‘firmly established within the Midlands’ and has experienced significant growth, with a number of barristers from KCH Garden Square joining the set in September 2024, and subsequently a new Nottingham office was opened in March 2025. Having previously worked as a child protection social worker, Elizabeth Isaacs KC is exceptionally well-placed to handle both complex private and public law proceedings, and she is ‘restless in her pursuit of justice’. Timothy Bowe KC is ‘extremely intelligent and has an excellent knowledge of the law’, and he has appeared before the High Court and Court of Appeal on behalf of local authorities, parents, and children in cases surrounding allegations of sexual abuse, fabricated and induced illness, and fatal injuries. Among the juniors, Justine Lattimer is a key name to note as an ‘absolutely unshakable’ practitioner with significant experience in cases surrounding forced marriages, FGM, and sexual abuse allegations, as well as deprivation of liberty. Family law specialist Matthew Maynard, who is ‘always impeccably prepared’, predominantly practices in public children law, especially complex care proceedings, with expertise in human trafficking and severe injuries to children. Tom Lawal is joint head of the private family law team and exclusively represents parents, grandparents, and children through guardians.
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Matthew is a specialist family practitioner with a wide children law practice, encompassing public and private law children matters across a vast spectrum of cases.

Position

Matthew is a specialist children practitioner with a particular emphasis on complex public law proceedings.

Matthew is a qualified Arbitrator under the IFLA Financial Scheme and sits as a Recorder in children matters and within the Financial Remedies Court.

Matthew regularly lectures on a broad range of family law topics, to solicitors, barristers, expert witnesses and social work professionals. He is a published in a range of family law periodicals and publications.

He is recommended as a leading junior by both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.

Career

Year of Call: 2003

IFLA Arbitrator: 2016

MCIArb

Recorder: 2018 (Western Circuit)

Midland Circuit

Western Circuit

Public Law Children

Matthew is regularly instructed in complicated public law proceedings. He has specific experience of cases involving allegations of:

  • Death of children
  • Catastrophic inflicted injury, including brain injury
  • Non-accidental fractures, including multiple fractures
  • Serious sexual abuse
  • Fabricated/Induced Illness
  • Suffocation
  • Human trafficking (involving both parents and children)
  • FGM

Matthew represents parents (including through the Official Solicitor), local authorities, children (either through guardians or separately) and interveners at all stages of proceedings, including lengthy fact-finding and disposal hearings. He is recognised as being particularly sensitive when dealing with vulnerable clients. He has a particular interest in cases involving brain injury.

Matthew has been led on numerous occasions and regularly undertakes cases in which he appears against Queen’s Counsel in his own right.

Private Law Children

Matthew’s private law practice is focused on cases involving allegations and issues of the utmost severity, particularly where there are allegations of domestic abuse.

Arbitration

Matthew has extensive experience of dealing with financial disputes between separating spouses, and civil partners.

His practice at the bar spanned cases with more modest resources, and those with significant assets, including cases of significant legal and/or factual complexity. Matthew is able to bring this expertise to the Arbitration process, ensuring that participants can benefit from a high quality and cost-effective form of dispute resolution.

To view Matthew’s profile on the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators’ website please visit www.ifla.org.uk/arbitrator/matthew-maynard

Summary of reported cases (public law)

Re YY (Children: Conduct of the Local Authority) [2021] EWHC 749 (Fam)

Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27

Birmingham City Council v MM, FF [2018] EWFC 94

Wolverhampton City Council v JA & Ors [2017] EWFC 62

S Local Authority v UN and others [2016] EWFC 41

Re L (a child) Re Oddin [2016] EWCA Civ 173

Re V-Z (Children) [2016] EWCA Civ 475, [2016] All ER (D) 15 (Jun)

Re R (A Child) [2015] EWCA Civ 1581

S-P-H-O-S (Children) [2015] EWCA Civ 1131

Re W (Children)(Adoption Proceedings: Leave to Oppose) [2015] EWCA Civ 403, [2015] All ER (D) 208 (Apr)

Re T (Children) [2013] EWCA Civ 1836

Re M (A Child) [2011] EWCA Civ 1161

Summary of reported cases (private law)

C1 and C2 (Child Arrangements), Re [2019] EWHC B15 (Fam) (01 August 2019)

C3 and C4 (Child Arrangements), Re [2019] EWHC B14 (Fam) (01 August 2019)

Re X (A Child) (Surrogacy: Time Limit) [2014] EWHC 3135 (Fam), [2015] 1 FLR 349

Recommendations:

Chambers & Partners 2022: “He’s very issues-focused, always well prepared and has a great manner with clients.” “Matthew is straight-talking and gets straight to the point rather than making things more complicated than they need to be.”

Legal 500 2022: “He is a silk in the making.”

Chambers and Partners 2021: “He is one of the top barristers on the circuit. He is a true gladiator in his command of the courtroom. Not only is his written work impeccable, he is also a fearless advocate.”

Legal 500 2021: “A commanding presence in court whose attention to detail and preparation are always excellent.”

Chambers & Partners 2020: “He’s a great advocate with a real court presence, and is good with clients.” “He is extremely experienced and very calm.”

Legal 500 2019: “A charismatic and technically able barrister.”

Chambers & Partners 2019: “Always well prepared and able to make the most complicated of matters seem straightforward.” “A true giant in terms of the stature and quality of his work. He is calm and confident in his approach to cases.”

Legal 500 2018: “He has a reassuring client manner.”

Chambers & Partners 2018: “His expertise belies his years as a barrister. He is always well prepared and able to make the most complicated of matters seem straightforward. “The next star in children law and a brilliant advocate.”

Legal 500 2017: “Efficient at representing all parties in a care case.”

Chambers & Partners 2017: “Very robust, no nonsense and straight-talking.” “Good on his feet but also caring with wonderful client skills.”

Legal 500 2016: “He provides excellent advocacy and adopts a sympathetic approach with clients.”

Chambers & Partners 2016: “He is incredibly prepared, thorough and authoritative in the way he comes across.” “He is junior but punches above his weight – I can give him a heavyweight case and know he has the gravitas to deal with it.”

Legal 500 2016: “A strong and versatile advocate.”

Chambers & Partners 2015: “Matthew is destined for great things. A breath of fresh air.”

Legal 500 2015: “He never disappoints.”

Chambers & Partners 2014: “Noted by peers as a rising star in family law, handling both financial and children matters. Sources are quick to identify his client-facing skills and attention to detail.”

Legal 500 2014: “Junior Matthew Maynard has ‘excellent client skills’, and is noted for his ’forceful advocacy’ and ‘thorough preparation’.”

Languages

English

Memberships

Midland Circuit Western Circuit Inner Temple Family Law Bar Association Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Resolution Liberty

Education

LLB (Hons): 2:1

BVC: VC

Public Access Accredited

Pupil Supervisor

Advocacy Trainer: Inner Temple

Advocacy Trainer: Midlands Circuit

Content supplied by St Ives Chambers

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'The clerks are personable and it feels like they care. They can make recommendations based on the nature of the case which is invaluable. Sarah Robinson, Nick Burdon and Asma Akhtar run matters like a well-oiled machine!'
  • 'The clerks provide an excellent service. They are highly responsive and user friendly. Stuart Walker and Nick Burdon are standouts.'
  • 'Clerks are superb. Nick Burdon in particular will aways do his utmost to help even in an emergency.'
  • 'All of their clerks are professional, friendly and helpful, especially Nick Burdon and Asma Akhtar.'
  • 'Sarah Robinson, Nick Burdon, Asma Akhtar, and Stuart Walker are outstanding. Whenever you speak to any of the clerks, you are greeted with warmth. Nick has an ability to light up a room even if he is in it.'
  • 'The clerks are really helpful and will do their very best to accommodate your request and choice of counsel, often going above and beyond. David Walters gets to know who you like to instruct in particular form their set which demonstrates his commitment to solicitor relationships.'
  • 'David Walters and Scott Goodison are always supportive and reliable.'
  • 'Scott Goodison and David Walters are the best family clerks in Birmingham. They are supportive of solicitors, helpful and have a clear knowledge of the field they work in.'