Testimonials
Michael gives us advice that is both incisive and pragmatic. Michael has, in our view, an unmatched attention to detail and provides us with clear and unambiguous advice, ensuring that we only take action when there are strong prospects of success and are fully aware of the possible downsides. The construction of his letters and arguments are the work of a maestro and we are delighted to have him on our side.
CCL Compliance
Chairman
ASM is a successful and expanding metal recycling company. To help it achieve success it requires the skills of a planning lawyer who fully understands the waste industry. We have found that lawyer in Michael. He is thorough, tenacious, presents ASM’s case to the planning authority in the best possible manner and provides us with clear and well thought out advice.
ASM Recycling
Managing Director
Expertise
Michael has an exceptional practice, in that he is primarily a planning and environmental lawyer, yet with a significant specialist experience in intellectual property. He frequently works with clients in the minerals and waste industry, giving him a deep expertise in this area. His work includes advising on planning applications, lawful development certificate applications, Section 106 planning agreements and the conduct of planning appeals, enforcement notice appeals, development plan objections, High Court appeals and judicial review.
Alongside this, Michael has practiced in intellectual property for over 30 years, expertise, which is a significant and almost unique strength when advising on energy from waste (EfW), in which he is able to simultaneously draw upon both planning and environmental and IP expertise.
In intellectual property Michael has experience in both contentious and non-contentious work, across the cycle of protecting, acquiring and exploiting intellectual property. His expertise extends to Internet and digital applications including website hosting agreements, e-commerce and computer games.
Michael Advises
- Waste management businesses
- Renewable energy businesses
- Minerals operators
- Developers
- Corporates generally
- Directors of businesses
- Other owners or licensees of intellectual property
Experience Highlights
Planning and environmental
- Obtaining the first planning permission in Oxfordshire for gasification EfW.
- Licensing the IP relating to an advanced type of EfW technology.
- Purchase agreement to acquire EfW gas clean-up technology from a foreign company.
- Purchase Agreement for major waste recycling and solid recovered fuel project.
- Winning on appeal permission to redevelop a metals recycling facility in Hertfordshire and successfully obtaining permission for another in Central Bedfordshire.
- Preparing the planning assessment for an Adventure Golf development.
- Purchasing Environmental Permits from a company in liquidation in order to get a client who had been operating on the sites without a permit out of trouble.
- Preparing the planning assessment for a golfing complex intended by the developer to be England’s Number One Golfing Academy.
- Acting as the lead partner on a Pre-Pack purchase of a waste business from a company in administration.
Intellectual Property
Non-contentious work
- Applications to register trademarks and designs both in the United Kingdom and in the (EU) Community Registries and also, in the case of trademarks, in many other parts of the world through what is known as the Madrid Protocol.
- The licensing of intellectual property rights generally including copyright (including copyright in computer programs), design right, performance rights, trademarks, patents and technological know-how.
- Preparing terms and conditions for an e-commerce footcare website.
- Acting for the American licensee of the “Men Only” magazine in the renegotiation of the copyright licence.
- Acting for a supplier of novelty electrical goods in the renegotiation of their IP licence from Coca-Cola.
- Negotiating a complex contract for the licensing for TV of an entire catalogue of about 30 films.
- Negotiating a licence from Cath Kidston in favour of a paper manufacturer.
- Acting and advising upon electronic games development agreements and related licences.
Contentious work examples
- Acting for a defendant clothing manufacturer in a claim for breach of copyright brought against it by Ted Baker.
- Acting for a hotel management claimant in preventing Starwood Hotels from naming bars in their “W” hotel chain “living room” which it was claimed would infringe the claimant’s trademark.
- Acting for a well-known London estate agent in preventing the establishment of a rival under a similar name which it was claimed infringed our client’s trademarks and constituted passing off.
- Acting for a generic drugs manufacturer in defending a claim for alleged breach of a pharmaceuticals patent (being a so-called “Swiss claim”).
Career History
Previous Law Firms
- Partner, Head of Waste and Renewables Team, DMH Stallard
- Partner, Courts and Co
Education
- Exeter College, Oxford: MA (Hons) Jurisprudence (Law)
- Solicitor