Experience
Michael has taken over 100 cases to trial, and had numerous high profile reported decisions, the most recent being the Court of Appeal decision in Dreamvar v Mishcon de Reya. He is highly skilled at achieving early resolution of claims through negotiation, including mediation, arbitration and adjudication. He has successfully managed the resolution of numerous difficult, and often sensitive claims.
Michael has dealt with every type of insurance dispute including the defence of directors and officers, and of insured professionals in the legal, property, construction, financial, insurance and miscellaneous sectors. He is a trusted defence advisor to many professional firms, often resolving potential claims and complaints for them in the pre-action stage.
Michael also has extensive experience in dealing with insurance/ re insurance coverage disputes including international arbitration and multi-jurisdictional claims, particularly in the United States.
He has been described in Chambers Directory as "… an extremely sophisticated lawyer". He is regularly commended within insurance and legal publications for his pragmatic approach and his concise advice to clients, leading to favourable outcomes.
Recent Cases
- Successful defence of a £5 million+ claim for latent defects in a large residential development, brought by the developer against its building contractor.
- Successful defence of a US$10 million+ claim against a major law firm for alleged breach of trust/dishonest assistance in an international property fraud.
- Successful defence of a €20million+ claim against an international law firm arising from tax advice on a multi-jurisdictional M&A transaction.
- Acted for an international law firm at first instance and in the Court of Appeal in defence of a claim for breach of duty on a £25 million+ property transaction.
- Successful defence of a £6 million+ dishonest assistance claim against a large law firm arising from a series of mortgage frauds on a major building society. Indemnity costs awarded.
- Successful contribution claim by a producing insurance broker against a placing broker in respect of failure to notify insurers of circumstances on behalf of the insured finance company under its E&O policy.
- Successful defence of claims for £7 million+ against a leading law firm, in respect of advice to the owners on the sale of QPR Football Club. Indemnity costs awarded.
- Successful defence of claims for contempt of court/committal against a leading law firm in respect of alleged breaches of undertaking.
- Successful defence of claims for £5 million+ for breach of warranty and dishonest assistance, made by the purchasers of a sports management company against its non-executive director.
- Successful appeal against damages awarded against a project monitoring surveyor (including significant reduction for contributory negligence) arising from a failed property development and the Claimant Bank's consequential losses.
- Successful defence of a £40 million+ claim by the liquidators of a property investment company against its former directors and professional advisors, relating to an alleged tax fraud. All claims dismissed with indemnity costs.
- Landmark successful appeal on behalf of Mishcon de Reya against a judgment that had held it solely liable to its client the purchaser, for the consequences of a property identity fraud. As a result of the Court of Appeal judgment, Mishcon de Reya was fully indemnitied by the innocent but negligent solicitors who had acted for the fraudster.