Bio
Based in Australia, Michael Makridakis is a Consultant in the Dispute Resolution department in Appleby’s Hong Kong office.
Michael is an accredited insolvency and commercial litigation specialist with over 20 years of global litigation and arbitration expertise.
His practice focuses upon cross-border insolvencies, distressed/contentious investment fund issues, shareholders’ rights and remedies, directors’ duties, audit and professional services claims, fraud claims, and related commercial litigation disputes.
Michael is a market leading practitioner with extensive experience in dealing with high-value, multi-jurisdictional disputes. The insolvency and commercial litigation law aspect of his career has seen him assist in the negotiation and documentation of complex asset sales and commercial settlements.
Prior to joining Appleby Michael was the Hong Kong managing partner and a partner (respectively) of two other offshore law firms and managing director of a US-based private equity and advisory firm specialising in litigation finance, judgment enforcement, asset recovery, and related strategies.
Bio
Based in Australia, Michael Makridakis is a Consultant in the Dispute Resolution department in Appleby’s Hong Kong office.
Michael is an accredited insolvency and commercial litigation specialist with over 20 years of global litigation and arbitration expertise.
His practice focuses upon cross-border insolvencies, distressed/contentious investment fund issues, shareholders’ rights and remedies, directors’ duties, audit and professional services claims, fraud claims, and related commercial litigation disputes.
Michael is a market leading practitioner with extensive experience in dealing with high-value, multi-jurisdictional disputes. The insolvency and commercial litigation law aspect of his career has seen him assist in the negotiation and documentation of complex asset sales and commercial settlements.
Prior to joining Appleby Michael was the Hong Kong managing partner and a partner (respectively) of two other offshore law firms and managing director of a US-based private equity and advisory firm specialising in litigation finance, judgment enforcement, asset recovery, and related strategies.
Work Highlights
Some of Michael’s major cases include:
- Acted for Hugh Dickson of Grant Thornton in his capacity as joint official liquidator of Weavering Macro Fixed Income Fund Limited. This was heavy commercial litigation which spanned some 7 years. The litigation was settled on confidential terms.
- Acted for eHi Car Services Limited (listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange) in winding up proceedings initiated by a shareholder, Ctrip International, as part of a takeover bid. Application to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands to strike out the winding up petition at a summary stage was successful, and subsequently to strike out writ proceedings filed by the same shareholder.
- Acted for the minority shareholder in a just and equitable winding up petition based upon the quasi-partnership, justifiable loss of confidence in management and exclusion from management grounds. The value of the company exceeded USD1 billion.
- Acted for the petitioning lead-lender in a high profile, multi-billion dollar winding up in the Cayman Islands.
- Acted for a joint venture partner in a just and equitable winding up petition based upon the quasi-partnership, justifiable loss of confidence in management and exclusion from management grounds.
- Acted for a major investor in a Chinese based pharmaceutical company in relation to the investor’s redemption rights and investment recovery options.
- Acted for a petitioning secured lender in a case involving injunction proceedings to restrain presentation of a winding up petition and ultimately the appointment of provisional liquidators.
* Includes transactions completed by the lawyer prior to joining Appleby
Some of Michael’s major cases include:
- Acted for Hugh Dickson of Grant Thornton in his capacity as joint official liquidator of Weavering Macro Fixed Income Fund Limited. This was heavy commercial litigation which spanned some 7 years. The litigation was settled on confidential terms.
- Acted for eHi Car Services Limited (listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange) in winding up proceedings initiated by a shareholder, Ctrip International, as part of a takeover bid. Application to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands to strike out the winding up petition at a summary stage was successful, and subsequently to strike out writ proceedings filed by the same shareholder.
- Acted for the minority shareholder in a just and equitable winding up petition based upon the quasi-partnership, justifiable loss of confidence in management and exclusion from management grounds. The value of the company exceeded USD1 billion.
- Acted for the petitioning lead-lender in a high profile, multi-billion dollar winding up in the Cayman Islands.
- Acted for a joint venture partner in a just and equitable winding up petition based upon the quasi-partnership, justifiable loss of confidence in management and exclusion from management grounds.
- Acted for a major investor in a Chinese based pharmaceutical company in relation to the investor’s redemption rights and investment recovery options.
- Acted for a petitioning secured lender in a case involving injunction proceedings to restrain presentation of a winding up petition and ultimately the appointment of provisional liquidators.
* Includes transactions completed by the lawyer prior to joining Appleby
Recognition
The Chambers Global legal guide reported that Michael is “applauded [by his clients] for [his] technical grasp of the law as much as [his] shrewd commercial perspective.” Legal 500 noted that Michael is “an excellent litigator, who fits seamlessly into any multi-jurisdictional team” and “genuinely cares about his clients and their cases, and takes a vested interest in delivering practical and creative solutions”. Recently, Michael was also named in Asia Legal Business magazine’s ‘Top 15 Offshore Litigators 2022’.
The Chambers Global legal guide reported that Michael is “applauded [by his clients] for [his] technical grasp of the law as much as [his] shrewd commercial perspective.” Legal 500 noted that Michael is “an excellent litigator, who fits seamlessly into any multi-jurisdictional team” and “genuinely cares about his clients and their cases, and takes a vested interest in delivering practical and creative solutions”. Recently, Michael was also named in Asia Legal Business magazine’s ‘Top 15 Offshore Litigators 2022’.
Qualifications & Education
Michael is admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia in 2001 and as an Attorney-at-Law of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands in 2008.
- Bachelor of Laws, University of Queensland, Australia
- Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, College of Law (NSW), Australia
- Advanced Insolvency Law Education Program, Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia/University of Southern Queensland (Distinction)
Michael is admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia in 2001 and as an Attorney-at-Law of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands in 2008.
- Bachelor of Laws, University of Queensland, Australia
- Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, College of Law (NSW), Australia
- Advanced Insolvency Law Education Program, Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia/University of Southern Queensland (Distinction)
