Michael Lee

Michael undertakes a range of commercial work.  He is frequently instructed in cases involving injunctive relief and restraint of trade issues, conspiracy and economic tort claims, and cases involving breaches of directors’ duties, fiduciary duties and duties of confidence. Chambers and Partners has stated that Michael “is noted for his work on injunctive relief and restraint of trade matters”, whilst Who’s Who Legal has commented that he is “lauded as ‘a go-to junior for employment litigation and associated High Court work’”.

Michael’s work in this field includes a speedy trial concerning a team-move, led by David Craig KC (Guy Carpenter v Howden, which settled on the first day of six-week trial) and a non-compete injunction led by Daniel Oudkerk KC and Amy Rogers (AstraZeneca v Sheldon [2022] EWHC 2447). Michael (led by Richard Leiper KC) also represented one of the Defendant insurance brokers in an alleged team move conspiracy case heard over 14 days (Alesco Risk Management Services Ltd v Bishopsgate Insurance Brokers Ltd [2019] EWHC 2839 (QB)).

Michael is currently acting as part of a large counsel team, led by David Craig KC, in a case involving an alleged team-move conspiracy listed for trial over 12 weeks in early 2027. He is also (led by David Craig KC) acting for a Claimant bank seeking declaratory relief in the High Court in relation to a contractual dispute with a former-employee (and in seeking a stay of related proceedings brought by the employee in the Employment Tribunal).

As sole counsel Michael acted for the Claimants in a Commercial Court dispute involving contractual claims against Defendants in multiple jurisdictions and represented the individual defendants in a trial concerning misuse of confidential information (Trailfinders Ltd v Travel Counsellors Ltd [2020] IRLR 448).

Michael has acted in a wide variety of complex, high value Employment Tribunal cases, both as sole and junior counsel.  His work in this field covers a broad spectrum of employment law issues and has been recognised by the legal directories for several years. As Chambers and Partners has recognised, Michael acts for a diverse range of clients, and has particular experience in the financial services and education sectors. The directories have commented that Michael has a particular strength in “complex discrimination matters and employment issues with a commercial twist”.

Michael’s recent work covers the full spectrum of work in the employment law field. He was instructed (led by Daniel Stilitz KC) by Chelsea FC and José Mourinho to defend high profile claims brought against them by a former doctor. Michael was also instructed (led by Simon Devonshire KC) in a sex and age discrimination claim brought against an investment bank. In 2025 Michael (led by Richard Leiper KC) acted for a hedge fund defending a disability discrimination claim which settled shortly before a three-week hearing. Michael (led by Diya Sen Gupta KC) also represented a private equity firm in its defence of an equal pay and sex discrimination claim, heard over three weeks in early 2026. He is currently acting (led by Daniel Stilitz KC and Julian Milford KC) for Sainsburys in its defence of a long running equal pay dispute. Michael is also (led by David Craig KC) acting for a bank in seeking a stay of proceedings brought by a former-employee in the Employment Tribunal on the basis that the dispute is better determined in the High Court.

As sole counsel Michael recently represented a financial services institution in its successful defence of a highly publicised whistleblowing claim heard over 9 days. He also acted for the Claimant against an investment bank in proceedings which settled on the first day of a three-week trial in 2025. In the Court of Appeal, Michael acted for the respondent to an appeal against an Employment Tribunal’s findings on disability in the field of mental health (Sullivan v Bury Street Capital [2022] IRLR 159), and in the EAT for the respondent to an appeal in a case concerning TUPE (Tuitt v Richmond Upon Thames LBC [2022] IRLR 1035). Michael acted for a former-Chief Executive in a well-publicised claim for sex and pregnancy discrimination which settled on the first day of the hearing. He also acted for Dr Carpos-Young in her successful high-profile victimisation claim against the Royal Academy of Music (Carpos-Young v Royal Academy of Music).

In the High Court, Michael’s work in this field includes a speedy trial concerning a team-move, led by David Craig KC (Guy Carpenter v Howden, which settled on the first day of six-week trial) and a non-compete injunction led by Daniel Oudkerk KC and Amy Rogers (AstraZeneca v Sheldon [2022] EWHC 2447). Michael (led by Richard Leiper KC) also represented one of the Defendant insurance brokers in an alleged team move conspiracy case heard over 14 days (Alesco Risk Management Services Ltd v Bishopsgate Insurance Brokers Ltd [2019] EWHC 2839 (QB)). Michael is currently acting as part of a large counsel team, led by David Craig KC, in a case involving an alleged team-move conspiracy listed for trial over 12 weeks in early 2027.

As sole counsel Michael acted for the Claimants in a Commercial Court dispute involving contractual claims against Defendants in multiple jurisdictions and represented the individual defendants in a trial concerning misuse of confidential information (Trailfinders Ltd v Travel Counsellors Ltd [2020] IRLR 448).

Michael undertakes a range of public law and regulatory work.

Michael (led by Jonathan Moffett KC) acted for Surrey County Council in its defence of a challenge to its Special Educational Needs budget, heard by a Divisional Court in 2018 (R (Hollow) v Surrey CC [2019] EWHC 618 (Admin). Michael also acted (led by Clive Lewis KC) in judicial review proceedings concerning a challenge to a European-wide prohibition on the sale of certain meat products (R (Newby) v Food Standards Agency [2013] EWHC 1966 (Admin)), including acting as sole counsel in defence of the Claimant’s application for an interim injunction to dis-apply the prohibition. Michael (now led by Jason Coppell KC) represented the Food Standards Agency before the Supreme Court in that case in 2019 (R (Newby) v Foods Standards Agency [2019] UKSC 18).

Michael’s public law practice has a particular focus on cases involving the Asserts of Community Value regime in the Localism Act 2011. He has extensive expertise in this field, having acted in a large number of appeals, such as Patel v Hackney CR/2013/0005 (the first appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal under ACV regime), Kicking Horse Ltd v Camden CR/2015/0012 (an appeal considering the extent to which individuals parts of a building should be given separate consideration under the ACV regime), and Mendoza Ltd v Camden CR/2015/0015) (an appeal considering the requirements that an organisation must meet to make a valid ACV nomination).  Michael regularly advises on and appears in appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal in this field.