Michelle Bradfield has more than 20 years of experience as a lawyer, with a focus on complex international arbitration often involving public international law (PIL). Increasingly she is working on ESG-related (environmental, social & governance) matters. She has been recognized in legal directories for more than a decade. The Legal 500 ranks her in the "Hall of Fame" for both international arbitration and public international law and describes her as "among the best in London" and "one of the few PIL practitioners in London who has appeared across almost all PIL areas — she is simply excellent and vastly experienced." Chambers says: "The experience with Michelle Bradfield has been outstanding. She has an excellent knowledge of law and she has also got excellent interpersonal skills."
Michelle has significant experience in representing states and private entities on a wide array of matters, including investment treaty arbitration, commercial arbitration, boundary and maritime disputes, and climate and human rights matters for corporates. She is regularly involved in "bet-the-company" disputes and has worked for numerous FTSE 100 (Financial Times Stock Exchange) and Fortune 100 companies in disputes around the globe, including in the United States, Australia, India, Sudan, China, Spain, Brazil, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, she has worked for many States, including Australia, Malaysia, Croatia, Turkey, Barbados, Oman, China, and sovereign wealth funds.
Michelle lectures at various universities, including King's College London, and has published extensively. She also started her international law career as a Fellow at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, the University of Cambridge, and was assistant to Sir Elihu Lauterpacht CBE KC.
"One of the most committed, insightful and dedicated lawyers I have had the privilege of working with."The Legal 500
- University of Cambridge (LL.M. 2004; British Chevening-Cambridge Australia Trust Scholarship); Queensland University of Technology (LL.B. 2001; Tom Cain Trophy for Outstanding Achievement; President, Law Society; Sole student representative on the Law Faculty Governing Board; B.Bus. 2001; Dean's List for Highest Achievers; Scholarship to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, International Masters of Business 2000)
- Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and Queensland, Australia (solicitor)
Global Arbitration Review: "one of the best lawyers I've ever used in my career — both in terms of technical legal expertise and her extremely diligent and client friendly approach"
Legal 500: "a next-level partner, who has run some enormous arbitrations and gives them unparalleled energy and analysis" (2022) and "technically outstanding lawyer with keen commercial skills;" "I would choose her for any future international arbitrations in a heartbeat" (2021)