Matthew Coles

Expertise Matthew Advises Experience Highlights Career History

Partner

Regulatory

+44 (0)7859 964 524

Expertise

With more than two decades in practice, Matthew brings a rare blend of frontline experience and strategic insight to complex criminal and regulatory matters. His career began as a police officer, criminal defence solicitor and later a Senior Crown Prosecutor with the CPS.  With this background he developed a deep understanding of how investigations unfold, how prosecutors think, and where cases are won or lost. He also worked for the Cayman Islands Government as Crown Counsel experiencing a different jurisdiction, appearing in court and advising the police on a range of offences. This extensive grounding now underpins his work advising corporates, senior leaders and professionals facing high‑stakes scrutiny.

Matthew’s practice spans a wide range of the most serious corporate criminal and regulatory investigations, enforcement actions, prosecutions, and crisis‑driven advisory work. Clients value his ability to anticipate the direction of an investigation and to deliver advice that is not only legally robust but also commercially realistic. His dual perspective — having worked on both sides of the criminal justice system — allows him to see risks and opportunities that others may miss.

With skills learnt and developed over nearly 30 years, Matthew assists clients with all forms of internal investigations, be they related to fraud, theft or allegations of wrongdoing made by others.  He also assists both corporate and individual clients with reporting matters to the police or regulator.  When investigating and reporting, he will interview staff and witnesses, gather and consider the evidence and report to business owners and operators. He will present detailed and comprehensive evidence to the police or to the regulatory body when a report is required.

He is also experienced in insurance‑related matters, regularly advising on policy interpretation, coverage and response. Matthew works closely with brokers and clients, ensuring that his clients receive coordinated, practical support when it matters most.

Known for his calm, responsive approach, Matthew travels nationally to support clients at critical moments. He understands that regulatory investigations rarely unfold in isolation; reputational and media considerations often sit alongside the legal issues. He therefore works with clients to manage PR exposure and protect their wider interests throughout the lifecycle of a case.

Matthew Advises

  • Health & Safety – directors, senior managers, business owners and charity trustees involved in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, waste and energy, retail, care and supported living
  • Care & Social Support Providers — care providers, charities, and senior leadership teams subject to CQC or safeguarding investigations in relation to care homes, supported living organisations and domiciliary care. Assistance with Coroner’s inquests and requests for evidence
  • Education & Children’s Services — senior managers responsible for governance, compliance and incident response in relation to Ofsted‑regulated private schools, and children’s homes
  • Corporate & Professional Clients in Criminal/Regulatory Risk — directors, senior executives, regulated professionals and SMEs involved in complex criminal investigations, examples include high‑value VAT frauds, multi-jurisdictional and multi-million Euro currency exchange fraud, financial misconduct, and multi‑million‑pound drug supply cases involving regulated individuals
  • Insurance‑backed Clients — corporate and individual policyholders requiring advice on coverage, response strategy and regulatory exposure following major incidents
  • Charities & Not‑for‑Profit Organisations — boards and trustees navigating regulatory duties, safeguarding obligations and reputational risk

Experience Highlights

  • Since June 2017 I have represented one of the most important organisations involved in the Grenfell Tower refurbishment project. I represented that organisation in the Public Inquiry and continue to do so in the parallel major Metropolitan Police investigation into the tragic deaths of 72 residents
  • Representation of individual in multi-million pound VAT fraud and subsequent POCA proceedings
  • Representation of senior accountant in proceedings brought by regulator following serious audit mistakes
  • Representation of directors of a former City FX trading company involved in a cross jurisdictional investigation with alleged transactional values in excess of €100m
  • Cayman Islands prosecution on behalf of the Government of prominent government minister

Career History

Previous Law firms

  • Brabners LLP – Senior Associate then legal Director (2021 – 2026)
  • Rradar Ldt – Solicitor and Team Leader (2013 – 2021)
  • Cayman Islands Government – Crown Counsel (2012 – 2013)
  • Crown Prosecution Service – Crown Prosecutor then Senior Crown Prosecutor (2003 – 2012)
  • Kenyon Son & Craddock – Trainee Solicitor and Solicitor – (2001 – 2003)

Memberships

  • Health and Safety Lawyers Association (HSLA)

Education

  • University of Huddersfield LLB and LPC

Expertise

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With more than two decades in practice, Matthew brings a rare blend of frontline experience and strategic insight to complex criminal and regulatory matters. His career began as a police officer, criminal defence solicitor and later a Senior Crown Prosecutor with the CPS.  With this background he developed a deep understanding of how investigations unfold, how prosecutors think, and where cases are won or lost. He also worked for the Cayman Islands Government as Crown Counsel experiencing a different jurisdiction, appearing in court and advising the police on a range of offences. This extensive grounding now underpins his work advising corporates, senior leaders and professionals facing high‑stakes scrutiny.

Matthew’s practice spans a wide range of the most serious corporate criminal and regulatory investigations, enforcement actions, prosecutions, and crisis‑driven advisory work. Clients value his ability to anticipate the direction of an investigation and to deliver advice that is not only legally robust but also commercially realistic. His dual perspective — having worked on both sides of the criminal justice system — allows him to see risks and opportunities that others may miss.

With skills learnt and developed over nearly 30 years, Matthew assists clients with all forms of internal investigations, be they related to fraud, theft or allegations of wrongdoing made by others.  He also assists both corporate and individual clients with reporting matters to the police or regulator.  When investigating and reporting, he will interview staff and witnesses, gather and consider the evidence and report to business owners and operators. He will present detailed and comprehensive evidence to the police or to the regulatory body when a report is required.

He is also experienced in insurance‑related matters, regularly advising on policy interpretation, coverage and response. Matthew works closely with brokers and clients, ensuring that his clients receive coordinated, practical support when it matters most.

Known for his calm, responsive approach, Matthew travels nationally to support clients at critical moments. He understands that regulatory investigations rarely unfold in isolation; reputational and media considerations often sit alongside the legal issues. He therefore works with clients to manage PR exposure and protect their wider interests throughout the lifecycle of a case.

Matthew Advises

Back to top
  • Health & Safety – directors, senior managers, business owners and charity trustees involved in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, waste and energy, retail, care and supported living
  • Care & Social Support Providers — care providers, charities, and senior leadership teams subject to CQC or safeguarding investigations in relation to care homes, supported living organisations and domiciliary care. Assistance with Coroner’s inquests and requests for evidence
  • Education & Children’s Services — senior managers responsible for governance, compliance and incident response in relation to Ofsted‑regulated private schools, and children’s homes
  • Corporate & Professional Clients in Criminal/Regulatory Risk — directors, senior executives, regulated professionals and SMEs involved in complex criminal investigations, examples include high‑value VAT frauds, multi-jurisdictional and multi-million Euro currency exchange fraud, financial misconduct, and multi‑million‑pound drug supply cases involving regulated individuals
  • Insurance‑backed Clients — corporate and individual policyholders requiring advice on coverage, response strategy and regulatory exposure following major incidents
  • Charities & Not‑for‑Profit Organisations — boards and trustees navigating regulatory duties, safeguarding obligations and reputational risk

Experience Highlights

Back to top
  • Since June 2017 I have represented one of the most important organisations involved in the Grenfell Tower refurbishment project. I represented that organisation in the Public Inquiry and continue to do so in the parallel major Metropolitan Police investigation into the tragic deaths of 72 residents
  • Representation of individual in multi-million pound VAT fraud and subsequent POCA proceedings
  • Representation of senior accountant in proceedings brought by regulator following serious audit mistakes
  • Representation of directors of a former City FX trading company involved in a cross jurisdictional investigation with alleged transactional values in excess of €100m
  • Cayman Islands prosecution on behalf of the Government of prominent government minister

Career History

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Previous Law firms

  • Brabners LLP – Senior Associate then legal Director (2021 – 2026)
  • Rradar Ldt – Solicitor and Team Leader (2013 – 2021)
  • Cayman Islands Government – Crown Counsel (2012 – 2013)
  • Crown Prosecution Service – Crown Prosecutor then Senior Crown Prosecutor (2003 – 2012)
  • Kenyon Son & Craddock – Trainee Solicitor and Solicitor – (2001 – 2003)

Memberships

  • Health and Safety Lawyers Association (HSLA)

Education

  • University of Huddersfield LLB and LPC