Michael Smyth

Michael is an English solicitor advocate, with an extensive and diverse practice focusing on complex, high-stakes commercial litigation (including in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court) and international arbitration (under LCIA and ICC Rules as well as in ad hoc arbitrations under the UNCITRAL Rules). 

His work ranges from general commercial and shareholder disputes to complex claims involving public international law across the telecommunications, financial services, technology and infrastructure sectors. A solicitor in England and Wales, Michael is also admitted to practice in Victoria, Australia and is a Registered Practitioner in the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts. Before he was admitted to practice, he worked in digital strategy and consulting in Australia.

Michael’s recent experience includes:

• Representing a Middle Eastern telecommunications company in a series of ICC arbitrations arising out of a joint venture transaction
• Representing a UK investment holding company in a complex series of defamation claims
• Representing a US-based technology company on defending a class action in California relating to alleged breaches of GDPR
• Representing a US asset manager in relation to a shareholder dispute arising from an investment in a multibillion dollar arbitral award
• Acting on potential litigation in the UK relating to cryptocurrency matters
• Representing a major payment services company in a multibillion pound damages claim relating to alleged antitrust infringements concerning interchange fees*
• Representing a leading outsourcing and security company in a London-seated LCIA arbitration arising out of a complex corporate transaction*
• Representing a global professional services firm in an ICC arbitration arising out of an intra-network dispute*
• Representing a sovereign state in relation to an ad hoc UNCITRAL arbitration arising out of a multibillion dollar fine*
• Advising a Japanese car manufacturer on the public international law remedies for changes to a domestic company law regime in a G20 country*
• Advising a series of large British companies on the international and domestic law remedies in connection with a proposed UK nationalisation policy*

*Experience from previous law firm

Co-author, Trump Immunity Doesn’t Stretch to English Courts, The Times (July 2024)

AmEx Fine Offers Lessons For Navigating UK Privacy Laws, Law360 (July 2021)