Practice Areas
Michael’s reputation in the fields of international family law and child protection, as well as in the broader areas of asset protection and succession planning affecting high-net-worth families, is built on more than twenty years of professional experience. Over the course of his career, Michael has developed a deep understanding of the strategic value of diplomacy in managing complex and highly sensitive situations.
For more than two decades, he has been advising on cross-border private client matters and on issues of international family and children law, having worked in Geneva, London, Milan, and New York. He is able to handle both common law and civil law matters with a practical, solution-oriented approach.
He advises clients on a broad range of international family law disputes and transactions, including the drafting of prenuptial agreements, the recognition and enforcement of cross-border financial claims, and matters relating to cohabitation. He also provides advice to trustees and beneficiaries involved in divorce or succession proceedings, drawing on well-established experience in matters involving the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, and the United States.
Michael enjoys an international reputation in the field of cross‑border children matters and has significant experience in disputes relating to custody, relocation and international child abduction (both Hague Convention and non‑Hague Convention cases), in both judicial and out‑of‑court proceedings, as well as in matters of international child protection. He is particularly sought after for advice on international surrogacy, co‑parenting agreements, legal guardianship and adoptions.
Michael also advises on cross-border succession, will and mental capacity matters.
His practice has a strong international perspective and frequently involves aspects relating to estates, tax implications, trusts, and assets or income of significant value.
Alongside his professional practice, Michael is involved in research and teaching in the field of private international law and international family law.
His recognised academic expertise enables him to bring real added value to his advisory work, and he is regularly instructed to prepare legal opinions in proceedings abroad. He has provided expert testimony to national, regional and intergovernmental organisations on a range of issues concerning child protection, European succession law and cross‑border legal capacity.
He has also acted as a consulting lawyer to the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, an active member of Resolution’s International Committee and of STEP, as well as of the European Association of Private International Law. In 2018, he was shortlisted for the “International Family Lawyer of the Year” award (Jordans).
Michael is admitted to practise law in England and Wales and in the British Virgin Islands, and is registered on the EU list of the Supervisory Commission of Lawyers of the Canton of Geneva.
He is also ranked in the Chambers HNW and Legal 500 directories.
Experience
Advising on cross-border nuptial and separation agreements requiring specific expertise in complex financial cases
Advising in proceedings for the enforcement of maintenance obligations between the United Kingdom and Switzerland
Advising in proceedings for the suspension and freezing of assets relating to a high‑net‑worth individual whose spouse had initiated divorce proceedings in England; a non‑EU jurisdiction was considered more appropriate in the circumstances of the case
Advising on cross‑border successions and succession matters (including contentious matters) for families with assets in multiple jurisdictions
Advising a child born through surrogacy in an international succession dispute concerning assets located in Switzerland, England and Italy
Advising in multiple cases of international child abduction, adoption, guardianship and the determination of parentage
