Overview
Important Message Update to Profile:
It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Mathew Waddington.
Mat was an exceptionally genuine and kind gentleman.
He was respected across the legal community as a solicitor and a member of the Bar. Mat will be sorely missed by us all, both at Chambers and his work family at HCR where he spent the most part of his career.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Fiona, George and Charlie at this truly sad time.
Profile:
Mathew was a partner at Harrison Clarke Rickerbys who has gained over 20 years’ experience specialising in Children’s Law. He has been a Member of the Law Society’s Children’s Panel since 2008 and has helped established the firms Safe from Harm Initiative, aiming to give children a voice in court proceedings.
On top of his own caseload, Mathew acted as an in-house advocate for his colleagues, frequently appearing in court for final hearings, findings of fact hearings, IRH’s, removal hearings, EPO’s, ICO’s as well as contested private law hearings.
Qualifications
Birmingham University Common Professional Exam
De Montford University at Birmingham University site Legal Practice Course
History and Government degree from Essex University
Professional Qualifications
2019: Higher rights (civil) – BPP
2008: Children Panel course and accreditation
Career Highlights
1. June 2022: as junior assisting Gemma Farrington QC. We represented a father with severe communication difficulties (he had a stress/grief related loss of speech and eventually required an intermediary). I was successful in getting 3 separate part 25 applications before HHJ Plunkett passed the first adjourned final hearing. At a 5-day composite final hearing we were successful in representing F in relation to SA allegations by his daughter, those allegations being found not proved.
2. 2019: Successfully arguing against a placement order for a mother in care proceedings against the children’s guardian’s advice. HHJ Cole accepted my client’s case after a 5 day final hearing.
3. 2020: Conducting 9 days of a final hearing before HHJ Cole for a father in care proceedings where his youngest child had suffered severe permanent brain damage following shaking injuries. During my cross examination I was able to show that the mother’s partner had caused the injuries. The children were placed with my client
4. 2020/21: Conducting the advocacy for 4 of 5 children on what turned out to be a 14-day final hearing. Having picked the case up originally as a 16.4 I persuaded the court to return the two youngest children; the first before a recorder the second before HHJ Cleary. I also persuaded him to make public law orders against the Local Authority’s wishes and submissions. At the culmination of the final hearing, we were successful in getting care orders for all 5 children including placement of the children with their mother and findings of parental alienation against their father.
5. On a more personal level, In 2014 I was interviewed for Radio 4 about why Children’s Law is important to me. This was for a 15 minute programme called ‘One to One’. The presenter was Anita Anand. In 2016, again for Radio 4, I provided the advice to The Archers’ Helen and Rob storyline in relation to Children’s law.