Michael is a partner in the firm’s finance and investment team which deals with all aspects of commercial property acquisitions, disposals and estate management together with secured lending work for both lenders and borrowers. He qualified as a solicitor in 1994 and became a partner in 2004.

Michael carries out a wide range of property work and acts for clients with large operational estates (including regional electricity distribution network operators and train operating companies) as well as other clients with portfolios of trading premises including restaurants and leisure operations. He both deals with and supervises the full range of the activities of these clients including freehold and leasehold purchases and sales and new leases (as both landlord and tenant).

In addition to the above, Michael has acted for developers (residential and commercial) and on public sector developments including the recently constructed New Tyne Crossing tunnel project and the Tyne and Wear Metro system. Michael also has extensive experience in the field of renewable energy where he has acted on a large number of projects for the development and operation of wind farms, hydro-electric and photovoltaic schemes and biomass plants as well as acting for liquidators, administrators and receivers in the disposal of properties owned by insolvent companies.

Experience

Examples of experience include advising:

  • Northern Powergrid group companies in connection with the entry into leases of various operational sites and central London office premises
  • EDF Energy and other renewable energy generators in the negotiation of bespoke option agreements for the acquisition of wind farm sites, full due diligence and the completion of leases for fully consented sites and the implementation of consented renewables developments
  • Various train operating companies and acting for them in connection with the granting to them of station, depot and other leases including all property aspects of the recent Govia Thameslink rail franchise
  • North East Combined Authority in relation to all property aspects of the scheme including the acquisition of all property interests required for the construction and operation of the New Tyne Crossing
  • Operators within the leisure industry in connection with all aspects of property portfolio management and the disposal of a portfolio of in excess of 90 trading properties.