"He is an extraordinarily bright junior who is very diligent." "User-friendly and easy to work with, he stays calm and unflustered at all times."
Michael has a broad practice covering all aspects of commercial litigation and arbitration. He appears regularly in the High Court in a wide range of commercial cases. He has worked on a number of very high-value and complex civil fraud claims and joint venture disputes in recent years, in addition to insurance, professional negligence and jurisdiction disputes. Current cases on which Michael is instructed include: the FCA test case concerning business interruption claims based on Covid-19; a claim in the BVI for around US$1 billion concerning a joint venture relating to Russian energy assets; a high-value ICC arbitration claim relating to the sale of an interest in an oil field, involving claims for breach of contract and deceit; and a claim against a City law firm for damages of over US$500 million for alleged breaches of duty owed to a former client. Michael has also been instructed in a number of major competition law disputes.
Notable cases
Michael has also provided confidential advice in relation to numerous insurance coverage disputes and allegations of misrepresentation and non-disclosure. In particular, Michael has provided advice in relation to several marine insurance policies and also advised in relation to a multi-million dollar claim under a contractors’ all risks insurance policy relating to the construction of a motorway in Qatar.
Aikens, R. Lord, R. and Bools, M. Bills of Lading, (2nd ed.), Informa Law, contributor
Competition Litigation: UK Practice and Procedure (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, contributor
Administrative Court Digest, Sweet & Maxwell, contributor
2017: Called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI)
2012-13: Judicial Assistant to Lords Clarke and Carnwath, UK Supreme Court
2011-12: Pupillage, Brick Court Chambers
2010-11: LLM, Harvard Law School
2009-10: BVC, BPP Law School (Very Competent)
2009-10: Non-stipendiary lecturer in law, University College, Oxford
2008-09: BCL, Lincoln College, Oxford (1st class, 1st in year)
2004-07: LLB (Hons) (1st class, 1st in year)
Scholarships and prizes:
2009: Queen Mother Scholarship, Middle Temple
2009: Vinerian Scholarship, University of Oxford (for the highest grade on the BCL)
2009: Sir Rupert Cross Prize for Evidence, University of Oxford
2009: Sir Ralph Chiles CBE Award for Human Rights, University of Oxford
2009: Rector's Prize, Lincoln College, University of Oxford
2009: Joint winner of the Holdsworth Society Moot, University of Oxford
2008: Supperstone Law Scholarship, Lincoln College, University of Oxford
2007: Human rights bursary, International Bar Association
2007: Oxford University Press Law Prize
Memberships
ALBA
COMBAR
"He is an extraordinarily bright junior who is very diligent." (Chambers & Partners 2021)
"User-friendly and easy to work with, he stays calm and unflustered at all times." (Chambers & Partners 2021)