• New York Bar
  • Law Society of England and Wales
  • NYU School of Law, Juris Doctor

Michael is a partner in the Climate Projects practice at Philip Lee (US) LLP specialising in the structuring, development and financing of engineered and nature-based carbon projects and the commercialisation of climate technologies.

Michael’s practice includes advising climate technology developers, project developers, investors and corporate buyers on structuring and executing complex transactions in connection with climate projects and across carbon markets. He has extensive experience negotiating carbon credit prepurchase and offtake agreements, as well as structuring financings and transactions relating to the monetisation of carbon rights and other environmental attributes.

In addition, Michael works with climate technology start-ups, supporting them from early-stage development through commercialisation. He advises on venture capital financings, R&D collaborations, and strategic partnerships, helping innovative climate solutions progress from lab-scale concepts to commercial deployment by leveraging his expertise across start-up scaling and climate project development.

Prior to joining Philip Lee (US) LLP, Michael co-founded and led a boutique law firm specialising in the financing, development and deployment of climate technologies and worked for a global law firm’s London and Frankfurt capital markets practices.

Recent Work

  • Advised a leading direct air capture project developer in connection with the negotiation of offtake agreements with the Frontier buyers group.
  • Advised project developers in connection with the development and financing of direct air capture facilities, including joint venture and other shareholder arrangements, debt and equity financings, geologic storage agreements, and prepurchase, offtake and other revenue generating agreements.
  • Advised project developers in connection with the development of sustainable grassland management, afforestation and other nature-based carbon projects, including landowner agreements and other carbon rights transfer and commercialisation agreements.
  • Advised funders in connection with the structuring of novel financings for carbon removal and emission reduction projects, including stream financings and portfolio-based investments.
  • Advised a venture-backed energy storage start-up in connection with its seed and Series A financings, including negotiating investment terms with VC-led syndicates, structuring convertible note and preferred equity financings, and advising on strategic investor participation.

Philip Lee LLP has entered into a collaboration agreement with Philip Lee (US) LLP, a separate partnership established in the State of New York, USA.

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