Matthew Wyard
Year of Call: 2014
Email Address: matthew.wyard@3pb.co.uk
Telephone: 0117 928 1520
Public and Regulatory
Matthew Wyard’s public law practice - and specifically his judicial review expertise - focuses on the complementary areas of education, health and community care. He has also developed a particular interest in the use of public law remedies within family proceedings (see Matthew’s family law profile for more information).
Having spent significant time practising in Wales, he is familiar with, and happy to advise upon, the relevant legislation across both jurisdictions. Having spent time working in a commercial chambers in Mauritius, Matthew is also happy to consider international instructions relating to his areas of practice.
Health/Life sciences
Matthew is an expert in the health and life sciences matters and disputes, with particular experience in judicial review and Court of Protection proceedings including serious medical treatment issues.
Recent healthcare/pharmaceutical matters include:
- Re: KM – Providing pro bono advice on the application of the EU Tobacco Products Directive;
- Re: V – Advising upon, settling and drafting the settlement agreement in a dispute between the directors of, and consultants for, an international pharmaceutical company as to the apportionment of liability between the company and consultants upon the consultants’ retirement;
- MM v Cardiff and Vale University Health Board – judicial review of a health board’s decision to refuse to provide adequate nursing care at the claimant’s home thereby preventing him from visiting his mother
- JW v Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council – challenge to the legality of the local authority’s decision not to fund rental costs under section 117 aftercare
Matthew is building a life sciences based advisory practice and has a particular interest in the medicinal cannabis/CBD industries.
Recent cases in the Court of Protection include:
- Re: JC – Representing a family member in a long running section 21A challenge concerning allegations of risk of harm to P and whether he should return to live with his family
- Re: JDC – Representing a family member in a section 16 challenge concerning whether P should have unsupervised contact with his parents
- Re: HC – Representing P in a section 21A challenge regarding the restrictiveness of placement in a care home setting
- Re: CEM – Acting for P in a matter concerning end of life arrangements
- Re: J – advising on restrictions and best interests in relation to serious medical treatment concerning a dental operation
Alongside welfare matters, Matthew has a developing practice in the property and affairs jurisdiction of the Court of Protection with a particular interest in contested deputyship applications and advisory matters.
He is also happy to provide training on the new Liberty Protection Safeguards, as well as the recent guidance on litigating in serious medical treatment cases.
Education
Within the education sector, Matthew has experience in acting before the Teachers Regulation Authority on behalf of teachers who are accused of wrongdoing. Additionally, he has experience of advising on, drafting and representing clients in a range of education law related judicial review challenges, in particular:
- CP v Surrey County Council – Represented the claimant in an urgent out of hours injunction application and at a substantive application in the Administrative Court concerning the right of accommodation pursuant to section 20 of the Children Act 1989. He also drafted the Grounds of Judicial Review;
- JPF v Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education – Drafted Grounds of Judicial Review regarding the legality of the higher education sector ombudsman’s decision to dismiss the Claimant’s complaint;
- DB v Kings College London – challenge to a university’s termination of a medical student;
- DB v London Borough of Richmond upon Thames – challenge pursuant to section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014 for failing to maintain an Education, Health and Care Plan;
- MG v Hertfordshire County Council – challenge to the legality of the local authority refusing to finalise an Education, Health and Care Plan in accordance with an order of the First Tier Tribunal;
- MG v CT Independent Review Panel – judicial review challenge to an IRP’s decision to uphold a permanent exclusion decision;
- AM v Cardiff City Council – judicial review against the legality of a local authority’s statutory assessment process; and
- G v Newport City Council – challenge to a local authority’s failure to maintain a Statement of Special Educational Needs pending the outcome of a cease to maintain appeal to SENTW.
Whilst in-house, he was part of the team working on a number of reported, high profile education cases including:
- DJ v Welsh Ministers & Ors [2018] EWHC 2735 (Admin)
- Thilakawardhana v Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education [2018] EWCA Civ 13
- Zahid v University of Manchester & Ors [2017] EWHC 188 (Admin)
- DS v Wolverhampton City Council [2017] EWHC 1660 (Admin)
Community Care
Community care is a particular area of interest for Matthew who has been involved in a number of judicial review challenges concerning the same:
- AA v Newport City Council – a challenge to the legality of the local authority’s withdrawal and subsequent request for repayment of direct payments
- LT v Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council – a challenge to the local authority’s breach of section 37 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
- CJ v Powys County Council – advice and pre action correspondence concerning the local authority’s failure to assist with an application for a Disabled Funding Grant
- Re: AM – advice on reduce liability for care home fees through the efficient structuring of an estate
- TL v Newport City Council – a challenge against a failure to maintain support outlined in a Care and Support Plan
- Re: TG – advising on liability for a surviving relative to pay care home fees for a deceased family member
- TL v Ceredigion Council – judicial review challenge to the local authority’s failure to provide adequate care and support provision
Commercial matters
Matthew Wyard’s interest in corporate work was sparked when he spent six months working as a legal assistant to Urmilla Boolell SC at a top tier commercial chambers in Mauritius.
His public law practise means that he is perfectly placed to advise on the use of public law remedies and challenges to advance commercial interests.
He also maintains an active interest in all areas, with a particular focus on non-contentious drafting within his specialist sectors of education, health and community care, but also in the media field following his appointment as a non-executive director of a music school.
Matthew is familiar with and has experience advising on and drafting a wide range of commercial documentation including:
- Joint Venture Agreements;
- Asset Purchase Agreements;
- Terms and Conditions of Business;
- Student contracts;
- Debt policies;
- Payment plans and financial agreements;
- Paid contribution agreements;
- Unpaid contribution agreements;
- Various forms of licences;
- A variety of intellectual property agreements;
- Contracts of employment; and
- Appraisal forms.
-
Publications -
8th Jul 2020View Publication
3PB’s specialist public law barrister Matthew Wyard has reviewed the draft Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) bill. The bill was introduced to the Senedd on 6 July 2020 without prior public consultation.
-
8th Jun 2020View Publication
3PB’s Public and Regulatory Law barrister Matthew Wyard has reviewed the law regulating novel food products in the UK.
-
4th Jun 2020View Publication
3PB’s Public and Regulatory Law barrister Matthew Wyard has provided an update on UK tobacco law in light of Article 7 of the EU Tobacco Productive Directive.
-
4th Jun 2020View Publication
3PB’s Public and Regulatory barrister Matthew Wyard has provided an overview of the MHRA’s Market Authorisation process for bringing new products to market in the UK. Designed for the pharmaceutical industry and those advising them, this article looks at the different types of authorisation available and the process for approving medicines in the UK.
-
20th Mar 2020View Publication
Education law barrister, Matthew Wyard examines the impact of the Coronavirus Bill on the independent education sector.
-
12th Mar 2020View Publication
Education and public law barrister Matthew Wyard and Paul Wyard of Sinclairslaw review Nottinghamshire CC v SF and another, a case in which the Court of Appeal held that the First-Tier Tribunal had correctly construed the meaning of ‘necessary’ in section 37(1) of the Children and Families Act 2014 (CFA 2014) in finding that it was necessary for special educational provision to be made for a child in accordance with an EHC Plan – even though the school had identified and made provisions for the child’s needs and the child was making progress at school.
This article was first published by LexisPSL on 9 March 2020.
-
10th Mar 2020View Publication
Matthew Wyard analyses Re: ACC &Ors [2020] EWCOP 9, a case concerning the conflicts of interests that may arise where property and affairs deputies instruct a firm with which they are associated to carry out instructions for P, or to conduct litigation on P’s behalf.
-
-
Recommendations "[...] the addition of Matthew Wyard to the team has given real fire power to their Court of Protection offering in Wales.'"
‘His in-depth knowledge of Welsh social care law is an advantage.’
Legal 500 2021/Court of Protection and Community Care/Rising Stars/Tier 1/Wales and Chester
"[...] 3PB's presence in this region comes in the form Matthew Wyard, who joined from Sinclairslaw in February 2020. He specialises in public law challenges in the education sector, civil claims against education institutions and special educational needs appeals."
‘One of very few barristers in the Country who has a true grasp of Welsh Education Law.’
Legal 500 2021/Education/Rising Stars/Tier 1/Wales and Chester
''I instruct Matthew regularly and am never disappointed by the level of professionalism and knowledge he brings to each case he is instructed on. Matthew has a unique way of identifying the key issues of a case and preparing submissions in a clear and persuasive manner, in order to achieve the best result possible. I can trust that he will always provide honest and efficient advice and am happy to have good working relationship with him.''
Instructing SolicitorAs you can imagine, it is extremely stressful for families to be going through this so I just wanted to say a big thank you for supporting me through [the] tribunal. I would recommend you to anyone going through similar proceedings. We are delighted with the outcome and have not stopped smiling since!
Client, Education
Academic qualifications
- 2014: Called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn)
- 2012 – 2013: Postgraduate Diploma in Law, City Law School
- 2008 – 2012: LL.B (Hons)(SW) Law, University of Surrey
Scholarships
- Erasmus Scholarship
- Blackstone Chambers BPTC Mooting Competition, Semi finalist, 2013
Professional qualifications & appointments
- Chair of the Valuation Tribunal for England
- Member of the Welsh Government Public Law Scheme
- Member of the Attorney General’s Junior Junior Panel
- Bar Professional Training Course, City Law School, 2012 – 2013
Professional bodies
- Lincoln's Inn, Member
Direct Access
Matthew Wyard is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public and professional clients under the Direct Public Access scheme.
More Information