Michael graduated
from Acadia University in 1978 with a B.Sc. in chemistry.
He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie in
1982 and has practiced with Burchells (and its predecessor
firms) since his call to the Bar that year. He has been a
partner of the firm since 1988. He was appointed a Queen's
Counsel in 1999. Michael is a past Chair of the Construction
and Administrative Law Sections (Nova Scotia) of the Canadian
Bar Association and has been Chair of several committees and
task forces of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society. He has
been a member of the part-time faculty at Dalhousie University
teaching civil procedure.
Since 2008 Michael has been a member of the National Advisory
Committee and the Chair of the Regional Committee for the
Atlantic Provinces for the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute.
The Institute provides non-partisan advocacy advice to lawyers
who will be appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Michael's practice
is focused on litigation and administrative law. He
has extensive experience in construction litigation and represents
contractors, owners and design professionals. His administrative
law practice incudes professional discipline hearings for
a range of professionals as well as municipal planning and
zoning.
Michael’s practice also includes extensive experience in the
area of Human Rights and he is the former counsel to the Nova
Scotia Human Rights Commission. Prior to his retention as
counsel by the Human Rights Commission, he had been appointed
to chair several Boards of Inquiry under the Human Rights
Act. Michael is the firm partner responsible for its harassment
policy and employment equity initiatives. He is also a member
of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society Administration of Justice
Committee, the Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee,
the Professional Responsibility Practices and Procedures Committee,
the Race Relations Committee and Chair of the Court of Appeal
Liaison Committee.
Michael has been
listed in "The Best Lawyers in Canada" in the fields
of Administrative and Public law, Corporate and Commercial
Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation
(2010).
