The Lawyer Awards 2009, Assistant solicitor of the year
Matt is an Associate Solicitor specialising in reputation management on behalf of corporations, brands and public figures. Having trained at Schillings in 2002 Matt has worked on behalf of a huge range of Schillings' clients from stockbrokers Collins Stewart to comedian Rowan Atkinson and from US billionaire and owner of the Venetian casino in Las Vegas Sheldon Adelson to seven-time Tour de France winning cyclist Lance Armstrong.
Matt's practice has included several successful long-running libel disputes; including - on behalf of Collins Stewart, with Schillings Partner Rod Christie-Miller, a case which resulted in the Financial Times publishing a front-page apology and paying £300,000 in damages; on behalf of Lance Armstrong, with Gideon Benaim, against the Sunday Times which was concluded with an apology by the Times, and on behalf of Sheldon Adelson, again with Gideon Benaim, against the Mail on Sunday, which resulted in a page 3 apology in the Mail on Sunday and the payment of substantial damages.
Aside from high profile libel disputes Matt has extensive experience in pre-publication advice on matters relating to defamation and privacy and advises corporations and public figures in relation to reputation management issues arising both pre and post-publication. He has secured apologies on behalf of Rowan Atkinson, J.K.Rowling, David Walliams, soldier David Falconer and, on behalf of Dr Raj Chandran, he obtained an apology, damages and a Statement in Open Court against the authors of the BNP's website. Recent work has included advice to several clients from outside the UK and advice on publication on non-UK-based websites.
Matt has an increasing sports practice and clients include Lance Armstrong, the Professional Rugby Players' Association, WMG and Premiership football players, managers and clubs. Work has included reputation management matters, contractual disputes and regulatory matters. He worked with Keith Schilling for former Chelsea FC goalkeeper Mark Bosnich in front of the FA and Premier League tribunals and acted on behalf of a group of jockeys in their challenge to the Jockey Club's rules on the use of mobile phones at racecourses.
Publications: include the British Association of Sport and the Law Journal and the Independent.
