He prepared well for the case, communicated concisely and helped keep the court to the issues at hand. Ultimately this allowed the judge to handle the challenging personalities in isolation without impacting our position on the case, or in my opinion, the court’s reputation of us. Michael was brilliant throughout this challenging case.
Office of the Public Guardian
Michael specialises in public law, local government, public inquiries and investigations. He regularly advises and represents government departments, local authorities, regulators, other public bodies, private entities and individuals. Michael is a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel and is presently instructed to two statutory public inquiries. Alongside this work Michael has a busy practice which includes, amongst other things, work in the Court of Protection, professional regulation, financial sanctions and sports.
Michael has been appointed to the Attorney General’s C Panel of Counsel. He advises and represents the government (both as sole counsel and as a junior) on a broad range of legal issues, including public law and judicial review, human rights, immigration and asylum, personal injury, employment, and contractual disputes.
Prior to joining Chambers, Michael worked as a lawyer at the Government Legal Department, where he undertook several roles as a litigator and advisory lawyer, advising policy officials and ministers on a range of government functions and public law litigation. Michael’s prior experience in government means he has developed a broad expertise in public law issues, in particular how they relate to the functions of public bodies, policy development and law-making, and is well-versed in providing risk-based legal advice to senior policy officials and ministers on matters of the utmost sensitivity. He also gained substantial experience in both the litigation and risk-management of judicial review claims. Michael is therefore well equipped to accept instructions in matters which directly or indirectly engage public law issues, on behalf of individuals, organisations, central or local government.
Michael is presently instructed in relation to two statutory public inquires – the Undercover Policing Inquiry (for CTI, since 2020) and the Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan (for the MoD, since 2025). Accordingly, Michael has developed extensive skills and experience in this field, including: carrying out investigations of underlying evidence, drafting Rule 9 requests, drafting witness statements, advising on and applying for restriction, anonymity and privacy orders, providing legal, procedural and strategic advice, and examining witnesses at evidential hearings.
Michael accepts instructions on behalf of local authorities on issues of public law and human rights, equality, education, health and social care, data protection and freedom of information.
Michael's local government practice includes frequently appearing in the Court of Protection, where he acts in the full range of proceedings, including adult health and social care, deprivation of liberty applications, mental capacity and best interests applications.
As a GLD lawyer, Michael spent a substantial period advising the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) on many of the operational aspects of financial and counter-terror sanctions. He also advised the department more widely on the policy aspects of sanctions, and assisted in the drafting and progression through Parliament of sanctions legislation, both in the context of implementing EU sanctions obligations and preparing the UK’s autonomous sanctions regimes for implementation post-EU Exit. Michael now frequently advises individuals and entities on the full spectrum of sanctions issues, including sanctions risk, licensing and designation challenges.
Michael has been appointed as a legally qualified advisor by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, providing advice regarding to the conduct of police misconduct tribunals relating to the Metropolitan Police.
Michael provides advice and representation to athletes, players, teams and governing bodies on the full range of sporting issues, including eligibility and selection, disciplinary, anti-doping, safeguarding, governance and contractual disputes. Michael is a member of the Sport Resolutions pro bono panel, and regularly acts via public access for individual athletes facing disciplinary or other sports governing body processes.
Michael holds a Masters degree in Sports Law and Practice. His Masters thesis analysed the legal remedies available to athletes and players sanctioned for exercising their right to free speech, and he is well versed in advising on the intersection between legal rights and sporting regulation.
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4-5 Gray's Inn Square has recorded a strong step forward in the latest edition of The Legal 500, with more ranked barristers, more practice areas recognised and a second Tier 1 set ranking. Chambers' new public law offering is also recognised, with Dr S Chelvan ranked Tier 1 in Immigration, including business immigration.
We are delighted to announce that Michael Harwood and Imogen Sadler have been appointed to the Attorney General’s C Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown.
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Sports, Arbitration & Competition Law Collide: A Summary of Recent ECJ Cases.