Matthew Hardcastle
UK Guide 2025
Band 5 : Crime
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
02035351581Share profile
Band 5
About
Provided by Matthew Hardcastle
Practice Areas
Matthew’s specialty is in pre-charge investigations and litigation. Matthew has particular experience acting in high-profiles matters, including cases involving members of the media, the entertainment industry, professional athletes, politicians, and regulated individuals.
Criminal defence and police investigations
Matthew has acted in a number of the most significant investigations of the past five years and has established himself as one of the country’s leading specialists in Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace investigations providing advice to both companies and individuals.
He’s also specialised in police station representation and acts for young people accused of serious criminal offences.
White collar crime
Matthew regularly acts for regulated individuals and company officers facing a criminal investigation, including in a number of significant SFO investigators and prosecutions.
Publications
Matthew combines his practice with academic work and he is the author of the leading practitioners’ texts on providing advice during a criminal investigation. He is the co-author of three books on police station law and procedure:
Defending Suspects at Police Station;
Police Station Adviser’s Handbook;
Blackstone’s Police Station Handbook
He’s also the co-author of Legal Action Group’s Police Station: Update; on the editorial review board of The Criminal Law Review; and is the chair of Criminal Law Week: Live.
Chambers Review
UK
Matthew Hardcastle specialises in police station representation and other pre-charge work. He has experience advising high-profile clients such as ultra high net worth individuals and leading professionals.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Matthew Hardcastle is highly regarded for police station and pre-charge work. He is really good at heading things off and pulling people together collaboratively."
"Matthew knows how to handle difficult cases well."
"Matthew is on top of the law and his cases - he is dependable."
"Matthew Hardcastle is highly regarded for police station and pre-charge work. He is really good at heading things off and pulling people together collaboratively."
"Matthew knows how to handle difficult cases well."
"Matthew is on top of the law and his cases - he is dependable."