Call us on +44 (0)20 7465 4300

Matthew Booth

Matthew Booth
Partner
Family
020 7465 4374 Connect on Linkedin
Matthew Booth

Matthew advises clients in relation to a broad range of family law issues arising on the breakdown of marriage or cohabitation/relationships.

He has a particular interest in dealing with private children matters, including leave to remove cases (where one parent wishes to relocate together with any children of the family) and disputes surrounding children’s living and contact arrangements (determining with whom they live and the time they spend with their other parent).

Matthew is ranked in The Legal 500 UK as a “Leading Partner”. He is described as “the understated star of the team” combining “great intelligence with enormous insight and exceptional client-care skills.”  Matthew is listed in The Spear’s 500 2026 and in The Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2026 as “Top Recommended” with a focus on matrimonial and Schedule 1 cases. 

Matthew also has a busy practice advising clients in relation to pre (and post) nuptial agreements and values the necessarily ‘educational’ element of the advisory process. Many of these instructions involve substantial inherited wealth and long-standing family trusts, and often have an international element.

In addition, Matthew is a qualified Family Mediator and has sat on the London Committee of Resolution.

Prior to training as a solicitor Matthew enjoyed a varied career as a freelance musician, including having a book about his mentor published by Stainer & Bell. He is a Member of the Royal Society of Musicians and a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.

Qualified 2005, joined Payne Hicks Beach 2005, promoted to senior associate 2011, partner 2014.

The Legal 500 UK 2026 ranks Matthew as a ‘Leading Partner’ for ‘Family: Children’ and as a ‘Recommended Key Lawyer’ for both Family: Children. Testimonials include: “Matthew Booth is committed, has excellent instincts and is very supportive.”

Matthew is ranked in the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2026 as “Top Recommended” with a focus on matrimonial and Schedule 1 cases. Spear’s writes:

“Once an orchestral musician, Matthew Booth made the switch to family law and has been a partner at Payne Hicks Beach since 2014. He tells Spear’s that his experience as a performer provides him with a degree of confidence that allows him to be candid with clients, offering honest advice even if it is ‘not necessarily what they want to hear’.

His written advocacy has been credited by counsel with winning cases, and he says this is a craft AI cannot replicate. Strong drafting ‘controls the ambit of the dispute’ and is underpinned by ‘an intimacy of knowledge’ of the facts, the law and the personalities involved.

Though a litigator for the most part, Booth is also a qualified mediator. He is alive to how parties with complex wealth or cross-border interests might require ‘a bespoke personal deal’ rather than accept a court’s blunter outcome, and alongside financial work, his practice spans children matters and international pre- and postnuptial agreements.”

The Spear’s 500 2026 and Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2025 as “Recommended” with a focus on matrimonial and Schedule 1 cases. Spear’s writes:

“He primarily works on matrimonial and Schedule 1 cases while also advising on pre- and postnuptial agreements, family trust structures and inherited assets. It’s a varied workload, and with clients originating from America, Sweden and South Africa, Booth’s cases frequently have an international dimension – much to his pleasure. ‘I enjoy the way in which family law reflects social and cultural progress,’ he says. While some of his cases are litigated, many are settled out of court. He tells Spear’s that litigation can be often messy, often to the detriment of clients. ‘Toxic litigation can be incredibly draining, particularly when you’re representing someone who’s in a disempowered position,’ he says. ‘It’s not just about the money; it’s about giving [clients] a voice and protecting them from aggressive tactics.’”

The Legal 500 UK 2025 ranks Matthew as a “Next Generation Partner” for the Family category. He is recognised as a mediator and for his family practice including advising on wealth protection matters, including pre- and post-nuptial agreements.

Matthew is ranked as a “Next Generation Partner” in The Legal 500 UK 2024.

Ranked as a “Next Generation Partner” in The Legal 500 UK 2023.  A commentator notes that Matthew is “thorough and sensitive” and “first-class”.

Ranked as a “Recommended Family Lawyer” in the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2024 and the Spear’s 500.

Testimonials include:

“Matthew Booth – the understated star of the team, he combines great intelligence with enormous insight and exceptional client-care skills” The Legal 500 UK

“A thoughtful, clever and charming individual – everything you would want in a family lawyer – unflappable, calm and intelligent” The Legal 500 UK

“Matthew Booth is superb – he is charming, urbane and unflappable” The Legal 500 UK