Michael is a partner at Pinsent Masons LLP and a very experienced property litigator working across a number of sectors ranging from real estate, energy, infrastructure, universities and education, retail and telecoms. He has extensive experience of project managing major litigation up to and including Supreme Court level and often leads multi-disciplinary teams including in-house clients, barristers and experts. Since 2010, Michael has led the team defending United Utilities in the long-running litigation concerning the Manchester Ship Canal. UU was successful on a critical point in the Supreme Court in 2014.  Other aspects of the litigation still continue and the case was back in the Court of Appeal as recently as March 2022. Michael has a particular focus on complex disputes concerning trespass, interpretation and rectification of property contracts, professional negligence and dilapidations where the giving of evidence, by both experts and lay witnesses is key. A recent example of this is when he acted for the successful developer, Retirement Villages in establishing the continuing existence of an option to acquire strategically important development land in Retirement Villages Developments Ltd v Punch Partnerships (PTL) Ltd [2022] EWHC 65 (Ch).  

Michael is ranked in both Chambers and Legal 500 directories.

Chambers 2022, Real Estate Litigation, North West: "He is a very commercially minded litigator who is brilliant at handling the logistics of huge disputes."

Legal 500 (2021) North West, Property Litigation: ‘Michael Smith, partner, is an exceptional property litigator. He is an able lawyer, a master of coordinating substantial litigation and also a commercial team player.’

Outside the law, Michael is a keen triathlete and is a member of the GB team for his Age-Group. He competed in the Europe Triathlon Championships in Olsztyn, Poland in May 2022 and will compete for team GB in the World Championships in Abu Dhabi in November 2022.