Michael Bowsher KC - Associate Tenant | Manchester, Leeds & Birmingham

Profile

Michael Bowsher KC has a busy practice in public procurement, competition and commercial law, particularly in disputes concerning major public and public-private projects. He is particularly known for his unique practice in regulated procurement in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and elsewhere in the EU and beyond. Michael Bowsher QC has appeared as counsel in many of the major procurement cases over more than a decade. He is also heavily involved in providing advice on procurement law and practice in non-contentious situations. He is also increasingly involved in matters involving application and interpretation of investment treaties and trade agreements.

Michael is active in a range of other dispute resolution arrangements. He is often appointed as arbitrator, mediator and expert by CEDR, LCIA, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Technology and Construction Solicitors’ Association. Most of his appointments involve disputes concerning investments or long term contracts involving the public sector or utility sectors.

Michael is a Visiting Professor at King’s College London where he teaches EU Public Procurement on the LLM degree course and is Director of the Distance Learning Diploma and Masters in Public Procurement law at King’s College. Each of these courses includes substantial components concerning procurement by international organisations beyond the EU.

He is called to the Bar and practises actively in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as in England and Wales.

Year of Call: 1985, 2000 (Northern Ireland), 2012 (Ireland) 
Year of Silk: 2006

Areas of practice

Career

1986 - 1988             Tenant – Chambers of Donald Keating K.C.

1988 - 1992             Associate – Brussels office of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton

1992 - 2001             Tenant – Keating Chambers

2001 - to date          Tenant – Monckton Chambers

2018 - to date          Associate Tenant – Kings Chambers

Recommendations

Construction: “Excellent silk with particular experience in the fields of public procurement and construction.” – Chambers UK, 2018

Public Procurement: “Very well known in the procurement world as one of the few specialist QCs with a depth of experience in this area.” “He is thoughtful and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of his subject.” – Chambers UK, 2018

Leading silk in Administrative and public law (including local government): ‘‘In a class of his own.’’ – Legal 500, 2017

Leading silk in Competition: ‘‘He is able to look at the broad picture while focusing on detail.’’ – Legal 500, 2017

Leading silk in Construction: ‘‘He has a really useful blend of niche sector knowledge and procurement law.’’ – Legal 500, 2017

Leading silk in Public Procurement: ‘‘A go-to procurement specialist and a client favourite.’’ – Legal 500, 2017

Public Procurement: “Very commercial and pragmatic, as well as highly personable. It gives our clients peace of mind to know they’ve instructed one of the very best.” “He is without a doubt superb. He is Mr Procurement and you’d struggle to find someone with greater knowledge and experience. Very client-friendly, he’s not afraid to challenge client thinking or pose difficult questions.” – Chambers UK, 2017

Construction: “Very strategic. He knows judges well and can shape arguments based on that.” “A great person to have because of his diverse practice.” – Chambers UK, 2017

Memberships

• Queen’s Counsel (2006)
• Called to the Bar of Northern Ireland (2000)
• Called to the Bar of the Republic of Ireland (2012)
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Chartered Arbitrator
• Fellow, European Law Institute
• Fellow, Centre of European Law, King’s College London.
• Visiting Professor in EU Public Procurement Law, King’s College London
• Joint Chair of Task Force on Public Procurement of International Chamber of Commerce (appointed 2007); in this capacity Michael has represented the ICC as an observer to international bodies such as the UNCITRAL.
• Chair of the EU law Committee of the General Council of the Bar of England and Wales (appointed 2011) (also a member of the General Management Council of the General Council of the Bar of England and Wales)
• Bencher, Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
• Liveryman, Worshipful Company of Arbitrators

Education

Brasenose College, Oxford University – B.A in Jurisprudence, 1984