Michael is a solicitor and partner in the global law firm Pinsent Masons LLP having joined its predecessor firm McGrigor Donald in 1993. As a Banking and Finance partner he helped establish the team in the late 1990s and then specialising in Energy and Infrastructure finance led the Finance and Projects team from around 2002 to 2021 which became increasingly global having served on the Board of McGrigors from 2008 to 2012. He helped establish the Qatar office in 2009 and the Johannesburg office in 2016.

In 2021 he helped establish and now leads the Climate and Sustainability Advisory practice at the Firm which combines a range of professional skills with the legal teams to advise clients on governance and reporting, supply chain and legal risk related to ESG and works with colleagues in the Firm to enhance practice areas relevant to sustainability such as funds, natural capital and nature based solutions and greenwashing advice.

He has a longstanding interest in impact investment and the measurement and reporting of corporate sustainability performance with degrees in Economics and Accounting and Law from the University of Edinburgh.