Year of Call: 1970
Year of Silk: 1992

Profile

Michael was a member of 9 Old Square for over 30 years before that set merged to become part of Maitland. He is Head of Chambers.

His practice is varied, covering a wide range of commercial, Chancery and property work. In the commercial field, he has been instructed recently in a number of international and domestic arbitrations dealing with subjects as diverse as pensions mis-selling, advance fee fraud, telecommunications, property development, and rent review.

He is regularly instructed in relation to real estate disputes and problems of all kinds. Over the last ten years he has acted for and advised a number of banks and building societies in relation to claims in fraud, breach of trust and negligence on the part of their professional advisers. He also acts and advises in disputes concerning trusts (for example he appeared for the trustees in the Thyssen litigation in Bermuda), partnerships and companies (for example the protracted Macro litigation in the mid-1990s concerning minority shareholders) and more recently the Silven and Rosshill litigation (receivers and administrators). He is the current General Editor of Halsbury’s Laws on Mines and Minerals and together with other members of Maitland he has recently written a practitioners’ textbook on Commonhold for Lexis Nexis (Butterworths). Michael is recommended in the legal directories as a leader in real estate litigation, traditional Chancery, professional negligence and partnership.

Publications
Halsburys Laws of England (4th Edition) 2003 Reissue Volume 31, Contributory Editor
Halsburys Laws (4th Edition), Editor

Notable Cases
Star Energy v Bocardo SA (2010)
Crest Nicholson (Londinium) Ltd v Akaria Investments Ltd (2010)
Jirehouse Capital v Stanley Sherwin Beleer (2009)
Star v Bocardo
Prudential Assurance Company Ltd v Exel UK Ltd (2009)
Artworld Financial Corporation v Safarian & Ors (2009)
National Westminster Bank PLC v Robin Ashe [2008]
KPMG v Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd (2007)
Wembley National Stadium Ltd v Wembley (London) Ltd [2007]
Universal Studios International BV v Flextech Rights Ltd [2006]
In Re Rosshill Properties Limited (in administration)
Silven Properties Limited and another v Royal Bank of Scotland and others
Pumperninks of Piccadilly Ltd v Land Securities PLC and others
Ezekiel v Lerner
Standard Life Assurance Co v Egan Lawson Limited
Korda v ITF Ltd t/a The International Tennis Federation
Re: Macro
Re: Macro (Ipswich) Limited

Click here to see all cases.

Memberships
Chancery Bar Association
Property Bar Association

Qualifications
BA Law (1st Class) St Johns College, Cambridge Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn

Chambers UK - Chancery - Traditional
stands out for having a comprehensive practice (2010) the “smooth and industrious” the possessor of a healthy property-based chancery practice. One major highlight for Driscoll recently came in the form of his successful representation of the defendant in a lease construction case concerning Wembley Stadium. He also handles trusts and commercial cases; for example, he recently appeared in a case concerning the removal of a trustee of an Anguilla-based hedge fund.(2009) "ready to do battle with anyone" (2008); “proactive, down-to-earth and a fantastic advocate.”

Chambers UK - Professional Negligence
"He doesn't just dip his toe in the water like some others," (2010) stands out for his “ability to distil his legal knowledge into commercially accessible advice.” His broad practice has a particular emphasis on property and lawyers’ negligence, and he is regularly instructed in highly confidential cases" (2009) "the obvious choice" at Maitland for professional negligence"; "brings a wealth of courtroom experience to the table" (2008); "vast experience in handling professional negligence disputes arising out of property transactions."

Chambers UK - Real Estate
"excellent attention to detail" "he is not afraid to ask probing or uncomfortable questions to get to the bottom of the matter." (2010) “If you have a tricky option agreement, he can take it apart and put it back together for you with ease.” A regular visitor to the Court of Appeal, he recently took a case there concerning the construction of a lease in relation to land on which the new Wembley stadium was built. Clients enjoy working with him as he is “direct, quick and, most importantly, reliable.”(2009) "One of the world's best cross-examiners" (2008); “At the top of his game”, “...brilliantly technical, quick, precise and adaptable”.

UK Legal 500
"superb advocate who commands respect" (2010) Partnership: offers a ‘ no-nonsense, straight to the point’approach (2009) "skilled in the full breadth of commercial, chancery and property work" (2008)

Legal Experts 2008
Commercial litigation, Partnership, Property