Commercial
Michele has a broad experience of commercial and chancery litigation in proceedings in the Chancery and Queen’s Bench divisions (including the Admiralty, Commercial & Mercantile Courts). He has successfully obtained commercial injunctions including freezing orders, orders for delivery up of goods and charging orders. Michele understands the commercial interests of clients and is often instructed to advise from the earliest stages of disputes. He has a record of success in arbitration and mediation.
Selected Cases
- Acting on behalf of the defendant company in parallel claims in the Companies Court and the Chancery Division in a £250k claim involving allegations of asset-stripping, false accounting and suppression of profits.
- Acting on behalf of a former employee in a £150k Mercantile Court claim for breach of fiduciary duty (of a de-facto director) and conspiracy to defraud.
- Acting for the defendant partnership in a dispute concerning the status of the claimant as equity / junior / salaried partner and partnership property.
- Acting for a well-known firm of estate agents in a 4-day trial raising novel issues of consumer law (left unresolved following the Bank Charges litigation).
- Acting for a renewable energy company in a £500k Mercantile Court claim arising out of damage to specialist equipment for use in off-shore wind farms.
- Obtaining a favourable six-figure settlement at mediation in an intellectual property dispute concerning database rights and issues of unjust enrichment.
- Acting for the production company in a contractual claim arising out of damage caused on the set of a feature film at a famous North London residence.
- Advising a multinational technology company in a £2-3m claim for breach of a contract to provide telecommunications services.
- Acting on behalf of a fitness club franchisee in an appeal on an argument as to the proper construction of a franchise purchase agreement.
- Advising contractors in a £500k claim arising out of the construction of an installation at a renewable energy plant.
- Acting for a specialist marine engineering company in a Mercantile Court claim arising out of a contract to rebuild the gearbox of a commercial vessel.
News
- Supreme Court grants permission to appeal in Abbey Healthcare case
- Crown Office Chambers features in The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of this year
Articles
- Adjudication and Collateral Warranties – Court of Appeal reverses TCC decision in Abbey Healthcare (Mill Hill) Limited v Simply Construct (UK) LLP [2022] EWCA Civ 823
- When is a Collateral Warranty a Construction Contract? – Toppan Holdings Limited and Abbey Healthcare (Mill Hill) Limited v Simply Construct (UK) LLP [2021] EWHC 2110 (TCC)
Qualifications
- MA (Oxon)
- LLM (Distinction), King’s College London
Memberships
- COMBAR
- PNBA
- TECBAR
Recommendations
“Michele De Gregorio is first-choice counsel. He is skilful and impressive.”… “Very, very good. He’s forensically very excellent and an excellent cross-examiner.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Very pragmatic and very good with clients – approachable and excellent at explaining difficult concepts and issues to lay clients in a way that they understand without feeling patronised.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Michele is an extremely bright lawyer, he is always fully engaged on the matter, very responsive and very easy to work with, and a great ‘team player’ – a real pleasure to work with.”
Legal 500 2022, Construction
“He offers excellent advice and support.”
Chambers & Partners 2022, Property Damage
“One of my favourite juniors. He is bright, articulate and easy to engage with.”
Legal 500 2021, Insurance and reinsurance
“He’s very pragmatic, commercial and looks at the bigger picture as well as the legal points.”; “He’s very level-headed and is a team player. Lay and insurer clients also find him very approachable.”
Chambers & Partners 2021, Property Damage
“He is calm and has a fine strategic mind. He is a very impressive and powerful advocate.”
Legal 500 2021, Construction
“His attention to detail is second to none.” “He’s extremely hard-working and diligent.”
Chambers and Partners 2020, Property Damage
“He takes a pragmatic and commercial approach to dealing with claims.”
Legal 500 2020, Insurance and reinsurance
“He has a sector wide experience of construction litigation.”
Legal 500 2020, Construction
“Immensely hardworking, very bright, an excellent lawyer, and very good with clients”
Legal 500 2018, Insurance and reinsurance
“Very impressive. He knows his stuff and is a calm, persuasive advocate” and “Very user-friendly”
Chambers & Partners 2018, Property Damage
