Dr Orde is a medically and legally qualified forensic pathologist. Since 2013 he has held the position of Medical Director of Autopsy Services at the Vancouver General Hospital, and also holds visiting consulting privileges at the BC Children’s Hospital. Matthew is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia, and is Chair of the BC Forensic Rounds – a provincial forum for discussion of challenging cases, with an emphasis on education and quality assurance.
Matthew graduated from medical school in Scotland, and undertook the majority of his postgraduate pathology training in southern England, but also spent an intensive year long period as a forensic pathology fellow in KwaZulu-Natal, Republic of South Africa. He is registered as a specialist in both anatomical pathology/cytopathology and forensic pathology, and also holds legal qualifications, culminating in Call to the London Bar. Prior to commencing work in Vancouver, Matthew worked for almost ten years as a forensic pathologist in Sydney, Australia, and he also previously held office as Her Majesty’s Assistant Deputy Coroner for the City of Brighton and Hove, UK.
Matthew first commenced work in pathology in 1994, and has been a whole time forensic pathologist since 2005. As a practising forensic pathologist he routinely investigates, examines and reports on injuries sustained in a variety of settings and of various levels of severity, and deaths which have occurred in a range of circumstances, including homicides and suspicious deaths, accidental deaths, therapeutic errors, cases involving the toxic effects of drugs and poisons, and childhood deaths. To date he has personally performed over 3,900 autopsies, and has also overseen a similar number of post-mortem examinations undertaken by pathology trainees under his close supervision.
He has been accepted as an expert witness in forensic and autopsy pathology by the Supreme Court of British Columbia on numerous occasions, as well as by courts in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Matthew is a much sought-after and engaging speaker, and regularly presents to a variety of audiences, ranging from schoolchildren to senior criminal lawyers and members of the judiciary.
Dr Orde’s full CV is available upon request.
References
Lisa Jean Helps
Criminal Defence Lawyer and Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University.
“Having worked with Matthew for many years, I strongly recommend him as an excellent and thoughtful expert witness. He is highly knowledgeable, skilled in his field and able to ‘think outside the box’.”
Professor Johan Duflou
Forensic Pathologist, Sydney, NSW, Australia
“Dr Orde and Dr Dunham, both learned in their fields and witnesses of the utmost expertise...”
Judgment in R v P-
2018 BCSC 1632
“Thank you most sincerely for your participation in the Hypothetical at our national conference [Asia Pacific Coroners’ Society]. You were terrific!”
Her Honour Magistrate M. Jerram, AM
then NSW State Coroner, Australia
“Program evaluation reports completed by course members have as in previous years singled out your teaching and demonstrations for special mention. Course members were highly complementary of your demeanour in explaining a difficult process (autopsy) and your excellent presentation skills.”
Air Commodore C. Griffiths, AM RFD (Rtd) BDS LDS DPHD FFOMP (RCPA) FICD
Chair, Australasian Disaster Management and Victim Identification Course
Appearances
Invited contributor to “Behind Bars”
– an Australian Story television production by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; first aired August 2018.
R v B-, 2019 BCSC 1228