Michael has a broad range of commercial litigation and dispute resolution experience with a special expertise in maritime, shipping, transport, ports and aviation. After establishing his career in New Zealand, he spent seven years with the London office of an international law firm.

During his time in London he was admitted as a solicitor of the High Court in England and Wales. Within his maritime, shipping, transport, ports and aviation practice, Michael has particular skills in the effective assembling and management of teams in large-scale litigation projects – a role outside the usual skills of a lawyer as advisor. Such projects include the litigation and project management of a team of professionals resulting from the Rena grounding which was New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster and largest shipping litigation. Michael joined Lowndes as a partner in 2009.

He acts for clients in dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration and in all Courts. His practice has an international focus and he regularly receives instructions from overseas clients.

Michael is ranked as a leading lawyer in a number of prominent legal directories. He has been ranked in Band One by Chambers & Partners for a number of years.  He is ranked in Asialaw Profiles in Shipping, Maritime and Aviation; Legal500 in Transport; Legal Media Group’s Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Shipping and Maritime Lawyers and its publication Best of the Best as one of the top 30 shipping lawyers in the world; and the US publication Best Lawyers International.