BTO Solicitors LLP

Professional Liability; Construction; Insurance

Senior Associate and Solicitor Advocate

Michael is a Solicitor Advocate in BTO’s Property and Professional Liability team.  Specialising in insurance and contentious construction matters, Michael has extensive experience advising insurers and policyholders on high value and complex claims.  He represents clients in the Sheriff Courts and the Court of Session, as well as at adjudication and mediation.

Michael is skilled at assessing complex disputes, and providing clients with clear and incisive strategic advice.  His busy caseload includes representing contractors and subcontractors in high-value litigation and adjudication, and advising construction professionals and their insurers in complex professional negligence claims.

Trainee solicitor, BTO Solicitors LLP (2007-2009); Solicitor, BTO Solicitors LLP (2009 – 2012); Senior Solicitor, BTO Solicitors LLP (2012 – 2016); Associate, BTO Solicitors LLP (2016 – 2020); Associate, Pinsent Masons (2020 – 2022); Senior Associate, BTO Solicitors LLP (2022 – present)

Work highlights:

Acting for specialist piling subcontractors and their insurers in defence of a complex multi-party property damage claim; Advising a firm of architects in a claim relating to allegedly defective cladding; Acting for design and build contractors in defence of a multi-million pound adjudication arising from delays on a major office development project; Acting for design and build contractors and their insurers in a claim against specialist subcontractors, in relation to defects in a major infrastructure project.

English and French

The Society of Solicitor Advocates

University of Glasgow (2002-2006): LLB (Hons) Law with French Legal Studies; Université Robert Schuman, Strasbourg (2004-2005): Attestation D’Etudes Juridiques Francaises; Glasgow Graduate School of Law (2006-2007): Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice; Glasgow Graduate School of Law (2008): Professional Competence Course.

University of Glasgow (2002-2006): LLB (Hons) Law with French Legal Studies; Université Robert Schuman, Strasbourg (2004-2005): Attestation D’Etudes Juridiques Francaises; Glasgow Graduate School of Law (2006-2007): Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice; Glasgow Graduate School of Law (2008): Professional Competence Course.