Michael Horne

Michael is developing a practice in property and housing law, with particular experience in urgent and high-pressure applications. During his second six, he has regularly appeared in the County Court in possession, disrepair, and injunction matters, and is recognised for meticulous preparation and a calm approach to advocacy.

His experience during pupillage includes:

• Contested possession claims, including cases raising Equality Act and Human Rights Act defences
• Urgent applications, such as contesting warrants of possession and transferring proceedings to the High Court for enforcement
• Interim Possession Order proceedings against trespassers and persons unknown
• Securing access injunctions to enable urgent safety inspections and works
• Anti-social behaviour injunctions and committal proceedings
• Residential service charge disputes
• Disrepair claims under sections 9A and 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
• Proceedings under section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990
• Lease renewal opposition under section 30(1)(f) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
• Company winding-up proceedings

Before coming to the Bar, Michael gained international litigation experience as a paralegal at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Perth and at a specialist litigation boutique in Sydney. His work included corporate and regulatory disputes, deceptive conduct claims against directors, and representative actions involving public bodies.

He has also represented claimants in Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance appeals before the Social Security Tribunal, through the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust.

Michael holds LLB and LLM degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His academic awards include:

• Lord Denning Scholarship (2020) – Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
• Residential Scholarship (2020) – Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
• Anniversary Scholarship (2019) – LSE (LLM study)
• Blackstone Chambers Prize (2017), proxime accessit, for the joint-highest mark in Civil Liberties and Human Rights

Michael speaks fluent Spanish and is confident working with Spanish-speaking clients. He is noted for his ability to deal with complex procedural issues under pressure, and for delivering clear, practical advice to both clients and solicitors.