Michael graduated in 2003 with first class honours in law, winning a prestigious award for outstanding work in the field of intellectual property, and obtaining a then unprecedented mark for his dissertation along the way.  He went on to train with a large firm in the North West before joining Gibson & Co. in May 2005 and qualifying as a solicitor later that year.

In the last 8 years Michael has conducted a huge range of complex contentious matters, often involving an international element.  Recent highlights include acting:-

• as part of a team of lawyers in defending three inter-related derivatives actions with a total value of over £500m
• on an international arbitration involving a Russian oil company
• in the successful defence of a tax investigation by HMRC in which it sought recovery of in excess of £2m and sanctions against individual directors
• for Swedish venture capitalists in recovering damages for breach of contract concerning a patent
• for a property developer in successfully fending off a Compulsory Purchase Order levied against his property by the local authority, resulting in a significant and ongoing financial benefit to the client.

In 2012 Michael was made a Partner in recognition of his effort and achievements during his time at the firm.

Michael's practice encompasses the giving of advice on all manner of commercial issues including commercial agreements, land and other real property, intellectual property, landlord and tenant, libel/defamation, construction, partnership, shareholder issues, licensing, contentious probate, planning, and banking.

As someone always keen to expand and build on his range of expertise, Michael is an experienced advocate, appearing frequently in the High Court and County Courts.  In the summer of 2012 Michael attained higher rights of audience from the College of Law in London, making him as Solicitor-Advocate, and entitling him to represent his clients as an advocate in every civil court in the country.

Away from work Michael is married and lives with his wife Angela, son James and daughter Sophie by the coast in South Shields.  His main interests are current affairs, history, politics, sailing, music, Italian food and the ever fluctuating fortunes of Sunderland AFC.

0191 273 3817
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