3PB

Property and EstatesCommercial

Overview

Michael Norman is a civil practitioner and he works within the disciplines covered by the Property and Estates Group and the Commercial Group.

Over a long career at the Bar he has had even broader experience but tends now to specialise in these two fields. His property and chancery work includes advice and advocacy relating to public rights of way.

He has an extensive advisory and drafting practice, appears regularly in the High Court and the Court of Appeal in addition to the County Court. He is an experienced and accomplished representative at Alternative Dispute Resolution procedures, particularly mediation. In his experience many cases settle at the stage of mediation.

Once involved in a case, Michael takes care to work with his instructing solicitors to keep the clients involved and informed at every stage. He believes in the central importance of preparation and the careful production of effective skeleton arguments and background documents. If a dispute reaches Court, he protects the client’s interest unflinchingly and resolutely but with courtesy.

Michael is an Accredited Mediation Advocate.

Commercial

Michael's practice within the scope of this Group relates to commercial contract disputes, fraud, sale of goods and minority shareholders actions and to professional negligence litigation in the above fields.

He covers partnership and trust work as a member of the Property and Estates Group.

Notable cases include: 

Barnstaple Boat Company Limited v Jones [2008] 1 All ER 1124 (a Court of Appeal decision addressing fraud in connection with limitation)

Street v Coombes [2005] EWHC 2290 (Ch) (a case involving fraud, conspiracy and insolvency issues).

Michael brings to bear on his commercial work his extensive and wide experience in the work of the 3PB Property and Estates Group (qv) and of the Construction and Engineering Group (qv).

Property and Estates

Michael increasingly specialises in the real property and chancery areas of work undertaken by 3PB members.

Real Property

He has extensive and wide experience in land registration, conveyancing disputes, easements and restricted covenants. He also deals with intractable boundary disputes from the south coast to the northern borders.

Notable cases: 

Anglocontinental Educational Group (GB) Limited v A S N Capital Investments Limited in the Chancery Division, on appeal to the Court of Appeal ([2009] EWCA Civ 218) and on remission to the Chancery Division [2010] EWHC 2649 (CH)), a complex conveyancing dispute. Lymington Marina Limited v Macnamara, a case in which he succeeded on every one of a number of rounds of litigation in the County Court, the Chancery Division and the Court of Appeal ([2007] EWCA Civ 151) and against opposition from the best silks in the land! A complex dispute involving the interpretation and administration of a commercial berthing licence.

Chancery

His work in this field covers trusts of land, the administration of trusts, contentious probate, Court of Protection work, family provision and partnership disputes. Much of this work is advisory.

Notable cases: 

Mason v Coleman [2007] EWHC 3070, a case involving the administration of trusts with allegations of fraud IN RE THE ESTATE OF ERIC ARTHUR BOYES, DECEASED  [2013] EWHC 4027 (Ch) (Proudman J) Day v Day [2013] EWCA Civ 280, [2014] Ch 114 Ely v Simmons [2012] EWCA Civ 1674 Anglo-Continentinal v ASN [2010] EWHC 2649 (Ch) Anglo-Continental v Capital Homes  [2009] EWCA Civ 218.

He advises and appears in professional negligence actions involving solicitors, surveyors and architects linked to the fields of property and chancery work.

Michael brings to bear on his property and chancery work his extensive and wide experience in the work of the 3PB Commercial Group (qv) and of the Construction and Engineering Group (qv).

Called 1971, Gray’s Inn.

Chancery Bar Association Professional Negligence Bar Association (PNBA)

MA (Cantab) LLB (Cantab)