Full Profile
Michael is the Chairman of Clyde & Co, having served as the firm's Senior Partner for 30 years, during which period Clyde & Co progressed from a niche shipping firm of 20 Partners to a more broadly based, global world trade practice with approx. 300 Partners.
Michael has acted for Underwriters and Insurers worldwide on most of the major international insurance problems of recent years.
Michael helped to establish and was Chairman of the Solicitors Indemnity Mutual Insurance Association from 1986 until 2007. He has been Chairman of the British Maritime Law Association since 1996. He holds various Non-Executive Directorships, in the insurance industry. He is Chairman of the International Disputes Resolution Centre, in London.
Michael was voted Senior Partner of the Year at the Legal Business Awards, 2004 and again at the British Legal Awards 2011. In Chambers 2007 he is recorded as 'a true leader of the insurance industry in London, Europe and Asia'. He was a member of the UK Judicial Delegation to India in 2008 for discussions with the President and Judges of the Indian Supreme Court.
Michael was also listed as a leading individual in the 2009 Global Arbitration Review, in which the firm was ranked 11 out of the top 100 global arbitration practices.
In 2011 Michael was awarded the title of Honorary QC.
Experience
Events on which Michael has acted:
- "PIPER ALPHA"
- The invasion of Kuwait
- Collapse of US savings & loans bank
- Breast implants
- US environment and pollution claims including "EXXON VALDEZ"
- Break up of the former Yugoslavia
- Scandinavian credit reinsurance losses
- Loss of the "SLEIPNER GBS"
- The grounding of the oil tankers "BRAER" and "SEA EMPRESS"
- The kidnap of the stallion "SHERGAR"
- Chernobyl related contamination of food crops
- The Lloyd's litigation including Reconstruction and Renewal
- Break up of the former USSR from the perspective of Insurers of Russian oil and gas industries
- USA Extended Warranty Losses
- Hatfield rail crash
- Split Capital Trusts
- Loss of Brazilian offshore rig P36
- World Trade Center – 9/11
- E&O and D&O claims following the collapse of Enron and problems with other major US corporations
- Bermudan Form excess liability insurance arbitrations
- USA tax shelters
- 2005 Hurricanes
- 2007 outbreak of foot and mouth
- 2010 Loss of Deepwater Horizon offshore structure
