The Legal 500

Work Department

Senior partner.

Position

Michael is the chairman of Irwin Mitchell which he joined in 1972 when it was a small Sheffield firm of three partners. Initially he was an advocate in criminal, employment and mental health law and was the first solicitor advocate before the European Court of Human Rights. In the 1970s he also started what has today become Irwin Mitchell’s leading national practice in personal injury, clinical negligence and group litigation. In 1985 he became joint senior partner of Pannone Napier, the specialist law firm that (as a branch of Irwin Mitchell) pioneered development of group litigation for victims of many of the major transport and product liability disasters of the time in the UK and internationally. For many years Michael has been at the forefront of consumer focussed law reform and debate relating to personal injury law (joint founder, secretary and then president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers); mental health law (former member of the Mental Health Act Commission) and civil litigation (former member of and currently consultant to the Civil Justice Council). He was also an assessor assisting Lord Justice Jackson in his Review of the Costs of Civil Litigation. He has contributed to the legal profession generally, as a Council member of the Law Society becoming its President in 2000-01. Since 2002 he has been the Attorney-General’s pro bono envoy, helping to promote and co-ordinate pro bono legal activity here and abroad by all branches of the legal profession. His special concern for the rights and rehabilitation of disabled victims of catastrophic injury is reflected in his role as vice chairman of the Thalidomide Trust. However, his central role is leadership of Irwin Mitchell where Michael has been senior partner since 1983 as the firm has grown from its moderate Sheffield presence to its current status as a major national firm providing a full and diverse portfolio of legal services to a wide range of consumers. Three of the landmark cases Michael handled are: X v UK; in 1981 Michael was the first solicitor advocate to appear before the European Court of Human Rights representing ‘Mr X’ in X v United Kingdom, securing meaningful tribunal rights for detained mental patients (Mental Health Act 1983). Blackburn v Newcastle Health Authority; in 1987 he represented the successful claimant in a clinical negligence action that led to the introduction of specialist panels of solicitors to handle personal injury and clinical negligence claims. Barber v Guardian Royal; in 1990 he successfully represented the claimant in the European Court of Justice resulting in equal pension rights and a raft of anti-discrimination legislation and equal opportunities law throughout Europe.

Career

Trainee Moss Toone & Deane; qualified 1970; assistant solicitor Thompsons1970-72; joined Irwin Mitchell 1972; partner 1973; senior partner 1983; joint senior partner Pannone Napier 1985-94. Publications include: joint founder, ‘Litigation Funding’ (Law Society Press); joint editor ‘Conditional Fees – A Survival Guide’ (Law Society Press); ‘Napier & Wheat’s Recovering Damages for Psychiatric Injury’ (Oxford University Press 2002); ed board ‘Medical Law Review’. Visiting professor, Nottingham Law School. Appointments: CBE; Queen’s Counsel (Hon); bencher of Gray’s Inn (Hon); doctor of Laws (Hon) Sheffield University; visiting professor of Group Litigation at Nottingham Law School (Honorary LLD); vice chairman of the Thalidomide Trust; accredited mediator (CEDR).

Member

Athenaeum; trustee, Thalidomide Trust; Civil Justice Council; JUSTICE. Formerly: president of the Law Society; member of the Civil Justice Council; president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers; member of the Board of Governors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America; member of the Mental Health Act Commission; chairman of the Managers of Rampton Special Hospital; member of the Legal Services Board.

Education

Loughborough Grammar School; Manchester University (LLB); Sheffield and Nottingham Trent Universities (LLD Hon).

Leisure

Sport.

Practice Areas

Clinical negligence - claimant; Personal injury - claimant; Product liability