Michael joins Chambers having exclusively defended in the full range of criminal cases for over 20 years. He is a former Solicitor having qualified in 2000, becoming a Higher Courts Advocate (Criminal) in 2006. He transferred to the Bar in 2018 when he was employed as in-house Counsel for a leading firm of criminal solicitors based in Liverpool. He is presently authorised by the Bar Standards Board to conduct criminal litigation which allows for a ‘hands-on’ approach with professional clients.
His experience is varied and vast. He has acted as both litigator and advocate in many cases predominantly focussing on serious organised crime and murder / manslaughter. He is regularly instructed on cases with voluminous evidence and is described as having “an ability to turn the complex into common sense and the novel into normal”.
Michael prides himself on his client care. He recognises that clients are often extremely vulnerable by reason of mental health, age or addiction and he treats all clients with care, respect and fairness bearing in mind their individual needs and sensitivities. His experience allows for a straight-forward approach with clients when circumstances allow for this.
Michael’s courtroom manner is calm and astute. He is considered as “an extremely accomplished advocate having represented clients at trials for the most serious and high-profile offences in the criminal calendar.”
He is a “highly skilled advocate whose professional and friendly manner has made him a well-known and popular figure within the local legal community”
Michael has been led by some of the countries’ most talented and respected KC’s including, Rick Pratt KC, Nick Johnson KC, Nigel Power KC and Andrew Ford KC. Michael has appeared before the Court of Appeal Criminal Division on numerous occasions involving renewed applications for leave to appeal against sentence as well as appeals against sentence and conviction.
