Matt Lewin

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Matt Lewin is a top-ranked public law barrister, recognised as a “rising star”, whose clients range from government departments to parish councils.

His work includes advocacy in court and at public inquiries, investigations, reviews, training, public speaking and advisory work on a diverse range of public law issues, for clients across England and Wales. He is a member of both the Attorney General’s and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s C panels of counsel.

Matt is ranked in local government law in Legal 500 2024 stating that he “is absolutely marvelous in dealing with a range of instructions from relatively simple conduct matters to highly complex scenarios involving judicial review.” He is also described as an “up and coming” junior barrister in licensing law by Chambers and Partners 2022 with an “easy but robust approach to the matters in hand [which] gives great confidence.”

The Court of Appeal has described his submissions as “excellent … [made] with skill and moderation”.

Matt was a nominee for the Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year 2019 award.

In 2024, Matt published Cornerstone on Councillors’ Conduct and Standards in Public Life (Bloomsbury Professional), a practical guide for anyone involved in the field of standards in public life in the United Kingdom, from parish councils to Parliament.

Expertise

Planning and Environment
Matt has developed a thriving practice in Planning and Environmental Law.

His clients include local planning authorities in England and Wales, NGOs, parish councils, developers and residents’ associations.

Matt is experienced in representing clients at public inquiries and in High Court litigation.

His recent work includes:
- instructed on behalf of a local planning authority in an inquiry to resist demolition of a landmark 18^th-century city centre building
- successful defence of a judicial review claim on behalf of the Secretary of State against the refusal of planning permission and listed building consent for major redevelopment on London’s south bank
- 10-day inquiry on behalf of a local residents’ group concerning the destruction of a woodland and the creation of an unlawful caravan site
- successful judicial review challenge on behalf of a nightclub to the grant of a material change of use which would have resulted in the club’s closure
- planning inquiry for Friends of the Earth opposing Cuadrilla’s fracking proposals in Lancashire
- enforcement inquiry for a local planning authority seeking to protect historic woodland from inappropriate development
- advice for a local planning authority on urgent amendments to a conservation area boundary following threat of demolition of unlisted historic buildings
- instructed by an NHS body in a successful judicial review challenge to the registration of hospital land as a village green
Licensing
Matt has a busy practice in licensing and works in virtually all areas of licensable activity: premises, taxis, gambling, sexual entertainment venues and street trading.

Matt is recognised as a leading junior in licensing in the Chambers and Partners 2024 edition which noted his “strong skills” in this area of law. A previous edition also noted his “deep experience with taxi licensing and licences for restaurants and traders” and that “his easy but robust approach to the matters in hand gives great confidence”.

He is regularly instructed by licensing authorities to defend decisions on appeal and regularly sits as a legal adviser to licensing committees. He also acts for the licensed trade, police and interested parties, including residents’ groups and local businesses.

Matt also provides training for licensing committees across the country and is a regular speaker at Institute of Licensing events.

Matt’s recent licensing work includes:
- successfully represented licensing authority in an appeal which upheld its revocation of a private hire driver’s licence following a pattern of inappropriate behaviour towards children
- instructed on behalf of a licensing authority to defend on appeal the revocation of the premises licence of a well known nightclub in east London
- successful defence of a street trader in private nuisance claim brought by a nearby shopping centre
- secured premises licence on behalf of a festival promoter in countryside location
- represented licensing authority in a successful objection to the renewal of a SEV licence for a London lapdancing club following undercover test purchases
- expert contributor to the “Night Lives” report on reducing drug-related harm in the night time economy, jointly produced by All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Reform, Durham University and The Loop
Public Law and Judicial Review
Matt is regularly instructed to bring and defend public law challenges in the Administrative Court, across all of his practice areas: Housing; Health and Social Care; Planning and Environmental; and Licensing. Matt is experienced in drafting urgent applications and grounds at short notice.

Among Matt’s recent cases are:
• R (O) v Lambeth LBC [2016] EWHC 937 (Admin): Matt was instructed by the Claimant in a challenge to a children in need assessment
• R (Salwa) v Epsom and Ewell BC: Matt represented the successful local authority in a challenge to a refusal to provide interim accommodation pending review
• R (Barron) v Lambeth LBC: Matt represented the Claimant and successfully quashed the grant of a planning permission which would have led to the loss of an historic Brixton nightclub
Information Law
- Overview
- News
Matt has a busy practice in information law, covering data protection, Freedom of Information and the Environmental Information Regulations.

He regularly advises and provides training for public authorities on their obligations under FOIA and EIR. He provides commentary for Lexis Nexis on these subjects and is a Level 1 trainer on Freedom of Information.

Matt is also a data protection specialist and was part of the Cornerstone team that advised the Government on the preparation of the new Data Protection Act 2018.

Matt represents companies, individuals in data protection litigation and has been busy throughout much of the last few years advising organisations on implementating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Local Government
Matt is a local government law specialist, having represented around 100 local authorities across England and Wales. He is recognised as a “rising star” in local government law by the Legal 500 (2022 edition) with “great expertise and knowledge and a broad local government practice”.

Before joining Cornerstone, Matt worked as a housing officer for a London borough council.

Matt has particular expertise in local government standards and is regularly instructed to act as an external investigator into complaints about councillors.

He is also routinely called on by local authority monitoring officers to advise on governance issues, which has ranged from the dismissal of chief officers, the election of council leaders and the extent of local authority powers to indemnify members and officers.

Matt’s recent work includes:
- Investigation into complaints against an Essex district councillor accused of persistently bullying officers and whose behaviour at a council meeting resulted in police being called and the meeting abandoned
- Successful application on behalf of a local authority for an extended civil restraint order following multiple sets of proceedings relating to the ownership of a village hall
- Investigation into a complaint that the mayor of a town council in the northeast of England had been too drunk to light a memorial beacon on Remembrance Sunday
- Successfully defended a judicial review claim of a decision to sanction the former leader of a county council after an investigation found he had sexually assaulted several council officers
- Secured dismissal of an appeal against a local authority’s decision to list a pub as an asset of community value
- Advice to a local authority on the appropriation of land to create a community car park
- Instructed by a parish council during community governance review
- Advice to a newly-created unitary council on the reorganisation of licensing services

Matt is absolutely marvelous in dealing with a range of instructions from relatively simple conduct matters to highly complex scenarios involving judicial review.
Legal 500 (2024)

Matthew has very strong skills in licensing.
Chambers UK Bar (2024)

His easy but robust approach to the matters in hand gives great confidence.
Chambers UK Bar (2022)

He has great expertise and knowledge and a broad local government practice.
Legal 500 (2022)

About Matt

Client testimonials
“Mr Lewin made excellent submissions with skill and moderation.” – Lord Justice Lewison, Lomax v Gosport Borough Council [2018] EWCA Civ 1846

“Through Advocate, he has greatly assisted the Shelter Specialist Debt Advice Service, offering representation, advice and his expertise in public law. They describe Matt as always approachable, friendly, prompt to respond and extremely generous with his time, as well as an asset to the Advocate service. Matt’s clients are incredibly grateful for the work that he does for them, and note his quiet determination, empathy and kindness as particularly remarkable.” – Advocate, Bar Pro Bono Awards nomination for Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year 2019

“I do not have sufficient words to express my thanks to you and Advocate. I feel as if a great weight has been lifted from me … my reputation is still intact, thanks to you, and that is very important to me.” – Pro Bono client

“Thank you very much for the advice. Just right and the Chief Executive was extremely impressed.” – Local Authority Monitoring Officer

“I would just like to say a huge thank you for taking the time and effort to travel to Hereford today and supporting my case. I would also like to thank you for taking it on and all the hard work you put in, in such a short time.” – Pro Bono client

“I am writing to sincerely thank you for your help regarding my mum’s housing matter. Thank you for your help at a very difficult time and the successful outcome. From the very first phone call to Cornerstone the service was outstanding at every stage.” – Direct access client

“You have been so helpful, and wonderfully well-informed – very much appreciated.” – Direct access client
Directory testimonials
- Local Government – “Matt is absolutely marvelous in dealing with a range of instructions from relatively simple conduct matters to highly complex scenarios involving judicial review.” Legal 500 2024
- Licensing – “Matthew has very good strong skills in licensing.” Chambers and Partners 2024
- Local Government – “He has great expertise and knowledge and a broad local government practice.” – Legal 500 2023
- Licensing – “Matthew Lewin is regularly instructed by licensing authorities in a range of disputes. He has deep experience with taxi licensing and licences for restaurants and traders.” Strengths: “His easy but robust approach to the matters in hand gives great confidence.” Recent work: Acted for Bedford Borough Council in a taxi licensing dispute following sexual abuse allegations against a driver. Chambers and Partners 2022
- Local Government – “His easy but robust approach to the matters in hand gives great confidence.” – Chambers and Partners 2022
- Local Government – “He has good advocacy skills, is approachable and has a good understanding of the legal issues. He is very clear when dealing with complicated matters.” Chambers and Partners 2021
Awards
Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year Nominee, 2019
Memberships
Institute of Licensing
Appointments
- Attorney General’s C Panel of Counsel
- Equality and Human Rights Commission’s C Panel of Counsel
Education
- BA English Literature (1^st class)
- Graduate Diploma in Law
Publications
Notable Cases
Events