Michael Lee

Practice Areas

Michael Lee has a broad practice in employment and commercial law, with extensive advocacy experience in a range of courts and tribunals. Michael is ranked in the employment sections of all the leading directories, described as “an extremely bright barrister who is very good at seeing the bigger commercial picture”, “really good technically and commercially”, and “very client-friendly, very clear in his advice, very responsive, user-friendly and very bright”. In the High Court, Michael advises on cases involving injunctive relief, confidential information, restraint of trade, and the economic torts. Recent cases include a trial concerning a team-move, led by David Craig KC (Guy Carpenter v Howden, which settled on the first day of six-week trial), a non-compete injunction led by Daniel Oudkerk KC (AstraZeneca v Sheldon [2022] EWHC 2447), and a breach of confidence trial (Trailfinders v Travel Counsellors [2020] IRLR 448). In the Employment Tribunal, Michael has acted in a wide variety of complex, high value cases. Michael was instructed (led by Daniel Stilitz QC) by Chelsea FC to defend discrimination claims brought by a former- doctor. His recent work as sole counsel includes acting for the respondent in a mental-health disability discrimination claim in the financial services sector, in a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal (Sullivan v Bury Street Capital [2022] IRLR 159). Michael also acted for a global bank in its defence of a whistleblowing claim, and for Dr Carpos-Young in her high-profile victimisation claim against the Royal Academy of Music.