Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Employment, education, dispute resolution.

Michael is the head of the Employment and Business Immigration law team and also leads the firm’s HR consultancy practice, CFR HR. Michael has been with Cleaver Fulton Rankin since 2008, having qualified as a solicitor in 1993.

Michael has considerable experience in employment law and HR advisory work and is also involved in education and charity law as well as dispute resolution. Michael is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development by examination.

Michael acts for a number of public, private and third sector organisations including Invest NI, Catalyst, DailyPay, IceMOS Technology, Sports Council Northern Ireland, National Museums Northern Ireland, Titanic Belfast Limited, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, CCEA Northern Regional College, South Eastern Regional College and the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman’s Office.

Michael qualified 1993 and previously worked for the Equality Commission and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Currently a Director at Cleaver Fulton Rankin. Michael has published a number of articles, webinars and podcasts on a variety of legal issues in local and national press and business magazines including The Belfast Telegraph and The Lawyer. He has also appeared on television and radio speaking on employment and equality law matters. Michael is also a contributor to ‘International Employment Law’, published by CILS annually.

Michael is a member of Law Society of Northern Ireland; Law Society of England and Wales; Belfast Solicitors Association; Employment Lawyers Group NI; Employment Lawyers Association; and Education Lawyers Group. Michael is also a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.

Michael graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 1991 with a Law Degree and obtained his Certificate in Professional Legal Studies from QUB in 1993. Michael obtained a Masters in Business Administration from University of Ulster in 1995 and completed a Diploma in Personnel Management (CIPD qualification) in 2000.