Michael Waugh

Expertise

Michael is a senior associate in the commercial dispute resolution team at Gateley Legal.

He advises on complex contractual and property-related matters for national housebuilders, retirement living developers, strategic landowners and a wide range of corporate and commercial clients. His expertise includes high-value disputes involving alleged misrepresentation, breach of contract and technical development issues.

Michael has experience in strategic land transactions and planning agreements, with a particular emphasis on advising on exit strategies for option arrangements and conditional contracts affected by viability and planning constraints. He also advises on risks arising from restrictive covenants, planning conditions and private or public rights to help ensure successful project delivery. His work covers large-scale residential and mixed-use developments as well as commercial property transactions.

In respect of non-property-related matters, Michael advises commercial entities on contract interpretation, breach of contract disputes and effective claim strategies.

How do you help clients?

I bring together technical expertise and a pragmatic, commercial mindset to help clients manage risk and achieve their strategic goals. Where appropriate, I promote and engage in mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution to deliver effective outcomes at a proportionate cost.

Experience

1. Advising multiple national commercial and residential developers on termination risks relating to option agreements, conditional contracts and complex lease arrangements.
2. Acting on behalf of a national housebuilder in relation to a dispute concerning misrepresentation, breach of contract and technical infrastructure issues on a major residential development.
3. Providing strategic advice to a product distributor on termination risk exposure and management under a cross-border distribution agreement.
4. Acting on behalf of a development and planning advisor in relation to a dispute concerning an alleged breach of contract and fees payable under the terms of a long-standing commercial agreement.
5. Advising a commercial developer on risks associated with public rights of way, prescriptive easements, town and village green rights and community asset rights impacting a strategic land acquisition.