6KBW College Hill

Michael is a skilful and dedicated advocate, with a compelling attention to detail. Professional and hardworking in his approach, and rigorous in his preparation, he is comfortable handling the most serious and complex of cases.

Michael enjoys a mixed Criminal and Regulatory practice and is experienced in both prosecuting and defending.

Criminal Litigation

Acting both for defendants and for the prosecution, Michael’s experience of criminal litigation includes murder, fraud, organised crime and terrorism offences. He has a wealth of experience in the field of drug trafficking and is regularly instructed in large scale conspiracy cases. He is a Grade 4 prosecutor and is on the Fraud, Serious Crime, and Counter-Terrorism panels.

Michael advises and acts in Judicial Review claims and in appeals against conviction and sentence, both on behalf of those who he has represented at first instance and on behalf of those who seek a second opinion on appeal.

Fraud

Michael is experienced in fraud, commercial crime and professional regulation, having been instructed in substantial fraud trials and in commercial regulatory proceedings. He has represented clients charged with corruption, conspiracy to commit fraud and substantive Fraud Act offences. Michael also acts in confiscation and enforcement hearings and has considerable experience of cash forfeiture proceedings.

As well as post-charge fraud work, Michael has been instructed to advise companies in the early stages of potential Serious Fraud Office investigations both where the company is at risk of prosecution and where the company has detected possible criminal behaviour by others.

Michael has worked in off-shore jurisdictions reporting on the compliance of certain listed companies with market regulations.

Restraint, Confiscation and Asset Forfeiture

Michael has substantial experience of cash forfeiture proceedings both at first instance and on appeal. He is also conversant with confiscation and enforcement proceedings stemming from criminal allegations and is proficient in negotiating and in contesting confiscation orders.

Regulatory

Michael acts in civil and criminal regulatory matters. He is regularly instructed to prosecute on behalf of regulatory bodies in the criminal courts and in the First-tier and Upper Tribunals, and to advise on matters of policy or practise. He also defends those charged with commercial or personal regulatory offences.

Public Law

Michael advises and acts in judicial review proceedings, principally arising from criminal or regulatory decisions.

Called 2006. Appointed to the Serious Fraud Office Panel of Counsel.

Author, “Deferred Prosecution Agreements: a practical consideration” Crim L.R. 2014, 6, 416-438 Author, “The use and abuse of conspiracy” Crim L.R. 2014, 4, 261-277 Author, “Judges as tribunals of fact: to what extent do the provisions for a defendant to be tried on indictment by a judge sitting without a jury conflict with the defendant’s right to a fair trial where issues of PII are present?” Crim L.R. 2010, 9, 702-710. Contributor, EU Law in Criminal Practice, (Oxford University Press)

Downing College, Cambridge, MA (Hons), Neuroscience.