Michael Taylor

Partner

Auckland

Litigation

+64 9 367 8819 DDI [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-taylor-29a25a72/

Profile

Michael practices in commercial litigation with a particular focus on infrastructure and construction. He practiced at the London Commercial Bar for over 15 years at a leading construction set, before joining Russell McVeagh.

Michael is a thought leader in construction and infrastructure disputes, and has presented at the Society of Construction Law in UK and New Zealand and at other construction law conferences.

Adjudication

Michael regularly acts for principals and contractors bringing or defending adjudication claims under the Construction Contracts Act 2002. He also has extensive experience with cases involving professional negligence claims against construction professionals including architects, engineers, project managers and quantity surveyors.

Michael also acts on adjudication enforcement proceedings and was sole counsel in one of the first cases in which the English High Court granted an injunction to restrain adjudication proceedings pending payment of sums due (Mentmore Towers v Packman Lucas Limited [2009] EWHC 3212 (TCC)) and [2010] EWHC 457 (TCC)).

Related expertise

Litigation

Real Estate & Property

Construction

Technology & Digital

Experience

Michael's experience includes:

Arrow International (NZ) Limited v Bethell & ors [2019] NZHC 1326, counsel for the successful property developer in calling on Contractor's Performance Bond.
Counsel for New Zealand property fund in substantial arbitration with building contractor under NZS 3910.
Acting for the receivers of the Orange H (formerly Hawkins) group of companies,
Advising a major New Zealand company in relation to a cross border infrastructure construction dispute.
Advising a utilities company in relation to a dispute arising from seismic strengthening works.
Acting for the principal in a mixed commercial and residential development, successfully resisting multimillion dollar adjudication claims by the head contractor.

Regularly advising major New Zealand property developers and contractors in relation to disputes under the major NZ standard forms of construction contracts.
Fujitsu Services Ltd v IBM [2014] EWHC 752 (TCC). an important case on limitation and exclusion clauses in commercial contracts.
AB v CD [2014] EWCA Civ 229, a leading Court of Appeal decision on injunctions and adequacy of damages.
Sole Counsel for re-seller of building glue in dozens of product liability claims (e.g. Finesse Group Ltd v Bryson Products & Bostic Limited [2013] EWHC 3273 (TCC)).
Sole Counsel for Bridge Engineers in claim concerning the maintenance of Rochester Bridge.

Insights

Recognition

He was ranked as Leading Junior Counsel in The Legal 500 UK and Chambers & Partners UK, and is now recognised by Chambers Asia-Pacific, the Best Lawyers® New Zealand Guide, and Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific Guide.