Matthew Simon Russell Palmer KC (born 12 May 1964) is a New Zealand judge, legal academic and former public servant.

Palmer graduated with a BA in Economics & Political Science from University of Canterbury in 1983.

He is son of former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who was also a professor of law at Victoria University for many years.

Matthew Palmer is author of The Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand's Law and Constitution, which was published in November 2008.

[1] He also co-authored (with his father) Bridled Power, a leading text on New Zealand public law.