Michael Henry Pickering 

Director & Managing Principal 

B.A., LL.B.(Hons.), LL.M., M.A., M.B.A., A.R.M.(USA), Adv.Cert.(Bldg.Constn.), Assoc.Dip.App.Sc.(Bldg. & Constn.), Dip.Bldg.Des. & Drftg., Grad. Cert. Aust. Immig. Law

Specialist Accreditations:
Property Law
Commercial Litigation Law
 

Professional Accreditations:
Chartered Loss Adjuster (A’Asia and U.K.) (F.C.L.A., F.C.I.L.A, (UK)
FUEDI European Loss Adjusting Expert 
Certified Insurance Practitioner (A.N.Z.I.I.F. Fellow)
Chartered Building Professional (F.A.I.B)
 

Michael has been De Marco Lawyer’s inaugural Managing Partner since the merger of his previous law firm, Judicate Lawyers, in December 2018.  He is well recognised in the legal profession, and has led the firm through the COVID years of disruption into a period of successful growth.

Michael, as Director and Managing Principal of De Marco Lawyers, is responsible for developing and driving the firm’s strategy, leading the firm’s principals and senior staff, managing the firm’s relationships with its stakeholders like employees, service providers and the wider community, and representing the firm to key clients.  He is the quintessential legal closer and problem solver and is renowned as a lawyer for his skills in resolving otherwise intractable disputes with a mixture of experience, hard work, dedication, fairness and wisdom.  He is widely recognised as a lawyer who is capable of taking on tough cases where clients have otherwise lost hope and still achieving beneficial, cost effective, outcomes.

Michael is admitted as a Solicitor and/or as a Barrister to the Supreme Courts of Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland; all Australian Federal Courts, and to the High Court of New Zealand.  He practises in all those jurisdictions.

Michael is not only a Barrister and Solicitor, but is also a Chartered Loss Adjuster, Building Consultant and Insurance Risk Manager.  These professional roles have given him great experience, breadth and depth of expertise, and a solutions-driven approach based upon practical wisdom which clients find invaluable.
Michael is supervising the firm’s focus on innovation and is restructuring practice teams that will guide future expansion in the competitive market for legal services.

Background:

• Commenced practising law in 1979.
• Was made what is now an international law firm’s youngest partner.
• Worked on secondment as senior advisor to the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Senator Gareth Evans, KC, in law reform areas such as personal and business taxation/trade practices/ insurance/consumer protection.
• Attended Harvard Law School’s Program of Instruction for Lawyers.
• Became a graded arbitrator and sat as a commercial arbitrator.
• Became a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
• Established and managed a construction company, became a Registered Building Practitioner and successfully built houses, units, flats and town houses.
• Founding member of EERAG – East Essendon Rate Payers’ Action Group – led delegations to State and Local Government and arranged demonstrations to obtain compensation and benefits for neighbourhoods suffering disruption from instrumentalities.
• Was made Chairman of the Tribunal then hearing disputes over domestic statutory warranty insurance.
• Practised as a registered migration agent (No. 0104863) and now heads De Marco Lawyers’ Migration Law Team.
• Was the Victorian Division Chairman of the Australasian Institute of Chartered Loss Adjusters and Director of the international organisation representing loss adjusters in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
• Honorary lawyer for WTQA (Wushu T’ai Chi & Qigong Australia) regarding membership structures, member discipline, overseeing regulation of practise weapons, taxation status and accreditation of competition judges.
• Experience and Practise Areas
• Acting for CRA (now Rio Tinto) in Supreme Court of Victoria litigation against insurers arising out of the closure of the Bougainville Copper Mine, resulting in an insured payment of AUD$120M.
• Acting for major Australian banks in commercial litigation and personal/corporate insolvency.
• Acting for the Décor Corporation in relation to intellectual property disputes over trademarks and designs.
• Acting for a major Queensland veterinary practice when restructuring to admit employees as partners.
• Acting for major Melbourne commercial estate agencies in disputes over commissions, unfair dismissals and shareholder oppression.
• Acting for Heritage Insight, a leading Australian archaeological practice, regarding CHMPs.
• Acting in numerous commercial disputes and advising upon business transactions, mergers, sales and purchases of property, equipment and intellectual property, all creating value for clients.
   

Awards & Recognition

Law Institute of Victoria (1987-1988)
Elected to the then Council of the LIV

Australasian Institute of Chartered Loss Adjusters (2010)
Awarded the Service Medal for outstanding contributions to the profession

Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (1989)
Awarded the E.E. Vines Memorial Prize for best article published in the ANZIIF Magazine

Chinese Wushu Association (Beijing) (2013)
Awarded third duan wei (black belt equivalent) in chen Style T’ai Chi

Australian Institute of Management (2023)
Graduated Master of Business Administration with High Distinction average

Michael's Practice Areas

• Administrative Law
• Arbitrations and Mediations in Admiralty, Marine, Building and Commercial Disputes
• Building and Construction – advice, contracts, disputes and SOP adjudications
• Canon and Ecclesiastical Law
• Commercial and Retail Tenancy – advice, drafting and disputes
• Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Consumer Protection
• Conveyancing
• Criminal Law
• Environmental Law
• Immigration Law – advice, Visas, appeals
• Intellectual Property – advice and disputes
• Mental Health and Elder Abuse Law
• Mortgages and Finance
• Property Law
• Taxation and Duties – Federal and State – advice, audits and disputes
• Town Planning – advice and disputes
• Travel, Tourism, Sea Cruises
• Wills and Estates Administration