The incoming joint head of 20 Essex Street on facing challenge & finding inspiration
Duncan Matthews QC is regularly involved in complex, heavy litigation both in England and abroad and has been identified by Chambers Global 2014 as a “supersilk” in the making. He has most recently been involved in high profile civil fraud and finance cases including for Mukhtar Ablyazov in the multi-billion dollar claim by JSC BTA Bank and, currently, for the administrators of Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander (the UK subsidiary of the collapsed Icelandic bank) in its claim against UBS.
What was your route into the profession?
After reading modern history at Oxford, which I loved and which provided great training in transferable skills, I joined a convivial crowd of enthusiasts at the City University for the “conversion” course. Learning all the core subjects together provided a very valuable insight into the use of different and interacting areas of law as a tool for the resolution of disputes. Then a year at the Inns of Court School of Law for Bar Finals, followed by nine months pupillage at 3 Essex Court (as it then was). I received a dispensation from three months of my second six as I had spent nine months working at banking / insurance / shipping and commodities firm Middleton Potts. I received an offer of tenancy the week before I was due to race at Henley, which was lucky timing because I had not until then asked for the time off.
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
Being refused an adjournment sought by both parties of a huge IT case. The adjournment had been applied for because the volume of e-disclosure was so large that for the first time in my career I realised that if I had to sit down and read all the documents non-stop 24/7 until trial (without an adjournment) I could still not make my way through all the papers. Fortunately, I had an excellent counsel team from 20 Essex Street (as it now is) and a formidable team of solicitors led by Steven Baker (now at Bird & Bird) which produced really outstanding support and we achieved a very good settlement at the close of my cross-examination of the claimant’s witnesses.
Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?
Lord Griffiths—his stellar career in the law combined an impressive intellect with unerring judgment, tempered by humanity—difficult to beat.
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you choose as an alternative career?
I would love to have been a professional historian, run my own business or gone into banking. I doubt I would have made a very good employee or partner so probably right to have stuck to the Bar.
Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?
There has been quite a cast—I grew up on a rich diet of Henry Cecil novels, and Roger Thursby entertained and inspired in almost equal measure. More recently, Harvey Specter in Suits similarly appeals and appals in almost equal measure. Ally McBeal’s increasingly surreal performance was unforgettable. Judge John Deed (almost as surreal sometimes) if he counts.
What change would you make to the profession?
I spent considerable time and effort supporting Lord Neuberger’s efforts to promote diversity of recruitment to the profession and am very troubled at the threat to that caused by the availability of, and rates of remuneration in, publicly funded work. Since I don’t currently have a plan to solve the funding issue, I would opt instead for an expanded mentoring scheme to give to all who wanted it the same scope to aspire to a life at the Bar.
How do you relax?
A glass of wine and a good meal, the company of family and friends and travel (preferably combined). Tennis when I get the chance (never often enough). A good book, usually history or historical novel, increasingly those written by published friends!
