Michael was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn in November 1967 (Gerald Moody Scholar, Atkin Scholar) and became a Queen's Counsel in 1981. 475 cases in which he appeared have been reported in various law reports.

    Positions Held

    • A Recorder of the Crown Court (1984-95)
    • A Master of the Bench of Gray's Inn (1988)
    • Treasurer of Gray’s Inn (2008)
    • A Deputy High Court Judge (designated to sit in the Crown Office list) (1989 - 1996)
    • Member of the Data Protection(National Security)Tribunal - (later renamed a Judge of the Upper Tribunal 2000 - 2012)
    • A Judge of the Courts of Appeal of Jersey and Guernsey (1995 – 2014)
    • Senior Ordinary Judge of the Courts of Appeal of Jersey and Guernsey (2005 - 2014)
    • Commissioner of the Royal Court of Jersey 2014-2018
    • First Chairman of the Administrative Law Bar Association from 1986 – 1989 (since then Vice-President and Chairman emeritus)
    • President of the British Association of Sport and Law (2005 – 2013)
    • Joint head of Chambers at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square (1992-2000), before moving back to Blackstone Chambers, his original set (then 2 Hare Court) in 2000.
    • A Member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport ("CAS") (1996 – present) during which time he has been party to more than 175 awards.
    • As a member of ad hoc panels of CAS, he has been an arbitrator at 5 summer Olympic Games - Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing, Rio and 3 Commonwealth Games, Kuala Lumpur, Manchester, Melbourne
    • Deputy Chairman of the Information (National Security) Tribunal (1997 - 2012) (renamed from 2010 Judge of the Upper Tribunal)
    • A Steward of the Royal Automobile Club (1999 – 2018) and a Vice-President 2018-
    • Ethics Commissioner for London (2012) successful bid to host the summer Olympic Games
    • Chairman of the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct Commission (2002 – present) and of the ICC Dispute Resolution committee (2015 - present)
    • A Judge of the FIA’s International Court of Appeal (2010 - 2017)
    • Member of the three-person European Golf Tour Anti-Doping Appeal Panel (2012)
    • Chairman of the International Association of Athletics Federation’s Ethics Commission (the world governing body for athletics) (2013 - 2020)
    • First Chairman of the IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal (2017 - 2019)
    • Member of the Anti-Doping Appeal Panels of Mixed Martial Arts and Ironman (2016)
    • Serving on the Sport Resolutions' Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators (2021-2027)
    • Chair of the Ethics Commission of the International Ski Federation 2022-
    • Foreign Consultant to the Law Counsel, Dacca, Bangladesh
    • Member of the Provost's Panel at Eton
    • International Mediator of the International Panel of the Singapore Mediation Centre (2024-2027)

    Michael Beloff KC has appeared in international commercial arbitrations (in London, Brussels, Geneva and Monte Carlo), and sat as a commercial arbitrator under the auspices of the ICC, LCIA, SIAC and Geneva Chamber of Commerce, as well as an ad hoc arbitrator.

    He has given expert evidence on English law and practice for the purpose of proceedings in various states in the USA, in the Irish Republic, in the Republic of South Africa, France, Norway and Switzerland.

    He has carried out inquiries for Oxford University into alleged plagiarism, for two television companies, Channel 4 and Carlton, into the making of two controversial broadcasts, and for the Rugby Football Union into alleged racism.

    He has been identified in various legal publications as a leading figure in the fields of public, local government, commercial, defamation, insurance, arbitration, civil liberties, agricultural, EU, sport, human rights, environmental, education, immigration and employment law.

    He has written a standard commentary on the Sex Discrimination Act 1976 and Sports Law (2nd ed 2012). He was a consultant editor (with Lord Woolf) for the journal Judicial Review (1996 – 2015) and has been the first and only editor of Sweet and Maxwell’s International Sports Law Review (2000 - present). He has also contributed to Halsbury’s Laws on Time and Sport and Atkin’s Court Forms on Sport.

    Awards and Quotations

    Michael is recognised by both leading independent legal directories. 

    Chambers and Partners 2019

    • Administrative & Public Law (Senior Statesperson)- "An absolutely formidable advocate.", "He provides clear advice and is sensible to work with.", "Very pragmatic, gets to the point of an issue very quickly and comes up with a well-honed answer."
    • European Law (Senior Statesperson) - "I would have no hesitation recommending him for Court of Appeal work."
    • Sports - "Remains the market leader for difficult sports disputes.", "He could charm the birds out of the trees.", "Excellent thinker and advocate."

    Legal 500 2018

    • Administrative & Public Law - "Strongly recommended for his experience and judgement."
    • Civil Liberties and Human Rights - "Very user friendly, great turn around, incredible analysis."
    • Sports - "The godfather of sports law."

    Chambers UK 2018

    • Administrative & Public Law - “He has a razor-sharp mind." "An incredible intellect and a lifetime's experience.”
    • European Law - "He is one of the luminaries of the Bar." 
    • Sports - “A pioneer of sports law who is one of the most experienced and respected barristers in the UK." "Fearfully clever and very persuasive.” "A master of his art."

    Legal 500 2017

    • Sports - "Globally renowned for his outstanding intellect and inspiring advocacy and leadership."
    • Administrative and Public Law - "His experience and his judgement are second to none."
    • Civil Liberties and Human Rights - "He is very user-friendly, providing great turnaround times and incredible analysis."

    Chambers UK 2017

    • Administrative & Public Law - “Produces insightful analysis and compelling arguments." "Has a brilliant mind and is very good on his feet. Hugely respected and knowledgeable.”
    • Education - "An enormously impressive advocate who is highly persuasive and has a stellar reputation."
    • European Law - "He's exceptionally bright and is able to grasp points quickly and run with them." 
    • Professional Discipline - “He has a mind like a trap. He comes up with unbelievable points, works really hard and goes to incredible lengths in his preparation."
    • Sports - “He remains the market leader for difficult sports disputes." "Michael has a brilliant mind and is very good on his feet.”

    Legal 500 2016

    • Sports - "The Godfather of Sports law."
    • Administrative and Public Law - "Masterful."
    • Civil Liberties and Human Rights - "Highly respected by the bench."

    Chambers UK 2016

    • Administrative & Public Law – Senior Statesman. “He is extremely articulate and engaging as an advocate.” “He can grasp a completely new area of law incredibly quickly and then deliver a brilliant performance in court showing complete mastery of the subject matter and demolishing every argument the other side puts forward.”
    • Education – Senior Statesman. 
    • European Law – Senior Statesman. “Always a joy to work with. He wears his brilliant intellect lightly and is very easy to engage with."
    • Professional Discipline – “He's an excellent thinker and advocate.” “He's a big beast of the Bar." 
    • Sport – “Michael Beloff more or less invented sports law.”

    Legal 500 2015

    • Administrative & Public Law – “An outstanding performer.”
    • Civil Liberties & Human Rights – “He is able to instantly grasp a completely new area of law and deliver a tour de force performance.”
    • Immigration – “He has enormous wisdom and great authority.”
    • Professional Discipline and Regulatory – “A popular choice for his broad regulatory practice.”
    • Sport – top ranked. “Absolutely first rate.” 

    Chambers UK Top Silk Bar 100 

    In December 2013, Michael was ranked as one of Chambers UK’s Top Silk Bar 100, in their inaugural listing of the top barristers practising at the Bar of England & Wales. “He fights his client's corner hard and with all his vast experience at hand,” …. “he is also frank in his assessment and utterly practical in his advice.”

    Who's Who Legal 2018 notes that "Michael Beloff QC stands out as 'one of the greats' in sports law. He enjoys an excellent reputation for his vast experience before courts and tribunals."

    In 2008 Lord Bingham described Michael (in the first Birkenhead lecture) as a ‘most accomplished and much sought after advocate’.

    In 2012 Lord Justice Moses described him (in the 6th Ann Ebsworth Lecture) as "that pre-eminent advocate.”

    In 2009 Michael was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Chambers Directory Bar Awards.

    In 2014 Michael was nominated for the Bar’s pro bono award.

    In 1991 Michael won the Women's Defence League award for his contribution to women's rights law

    Among his many credits, Michael was described in Legal Business in 1994 as "the Bar's Renaissance Man", and in Chambers and Partners Directory 1996 as one of the top three stars of the Bar.

    He was, while from 1996 President of Trinity College Oxford(see below) in part-time practice, but returned to full-time practice in 2006 until his retirement after 50 years in practice in 2017.

    Michael was named as one of the top ten barristers of the decade by Legal Business in 1999, one of the top ten currently in practice in "The Independent on Sunday" in 2001 and one of six barristers in the Times List of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in Great Britain in 2008 and 2010. He was The Times "Lawyer of the Week" in November 1999.

    In the citation for his Honorary Degree at the Open University (2018) written by Professor Simon Lee, Michael Beloff QC was referred to as "one of the leading lawyers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries", having "written more than most legal academics while appearing day after day in leading cases" and "single-handedly" acting as "the founder...of sports law." "In an era where sport is one of the world's biggest industries, Michael Beloff is the biggest character".

    Michael Beloff KC made his final appearance before the English Courts in November 2018. The Lord Justice presiding commented that "it has been not merely an honour, but also a pleasure to be addressed by you in your last case", whilst the opposing Counsel added "on behalf of the Bar, that Mr Beloff is one of the very most highly regarded members of our profession, and not only for his erudition, but also for his charm and kindness". This was reported in a Times Law Diary piece, which closed with "[h]is international career with the Court of Arbitration for Sport will continue. Finished? I suspect that he has hardly begun."

    Michael continues to practise law from Blackstone Chambers as an arbitrator and advisor.

    Achievements

    Education

    The Honourable Michael J Beloff KC, President of Trinity College, Oxford 1996-2006, Treasurer of Grays Inn 2008, was educated at the Dragon School, Eton (King's Scholar, Captain of the School and Editor of the Eton College Chronicle), and Magdalen College, Oxford (Open Demy).

    He has degrees in history (first class) and law from the University of Oxford, where he was President of the Oxford Union and a member of the Oxford Union Debating Tour of the USA in 1964. He was the HWC Davis Prizeman (History) in 1961.

    He is an FRSA, FICPD, an Academician of the Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences and a member of ASPE. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford, an Honorary Vice-President of the Oxford University Law Society and has honorary doctorates from Farleigh Dickinson University (USA), De Montfort University, Buckingham University and The Open University.

    Publications

    Lectures

    Michael gave the Statute Law Lecture (1993), the ALBA Lecture (1994), the John Kelly Lecture (UCD) (1996), the Lasok Lecture (Exeter) (1998), the Atkin Lecture (Reform Club) (1999), the Ramamani Memorial Lecture (Madras) (1999), the Margaret Howard Lecture (Trinity, Oxford) (2000), the Second Bailiff’s Lecture (Guernsey 2002), the First Hans Espeland Lecture (Oslo 2002), the Alexander Howard Lecture (Royal College of Surgeons 2003), the Peter Taylor Memorial Lecture (Royal Grammar School, Newcastle 2003), the David Hall Memorial Lecture (Environmental Law Foundation 2004). He was one of four panelists in a debate held in lieu of the Tom Sargant Annual Lecture for Justice (2005), the Neill Lecture (All Souls, Oxford 2006), the Ben Kingsley Lecture (Warwick School 2008), the Barnards Inn Reading (Grays Inn) 2009, the Alexander Lecture (Institute of Arbitration 2009), the second Birkenhead Lecture (Grays Inn 2010), the Sir David Williams Lecture (Cambridge) 2010, the Lady Hale Lecture (Salford 2012), the Edward Grayson Lecture (British Association Sport and Law) 2012, the Macdermott Lecture(Queens University Belfast) 2012 and The High Sheriffs Lecture (Oxford) 2017.

    He has also lectured on law in Beijing, Vancouver, Moscow, Berlin, Nuremberg, Monte Carlo, Salzburg, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dublin, Auckland, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Madras, Charlottesville and New Orleans, as well as in the United Kingdom. He was a visiting Professor at the University of Tulane Law School, New Orleans in 2001 and 2003. He is a visiting Professor in Law at the University of Buckingham.

    His publications include: The Sex Discrimination Act (Butterworths, 1976); Halsbury's Laws 4th Ed., Vol.45 ('Time'), 4th ed., 1975 (and 5th edition 1999); Vol.96 Sports Law (2012); Sports Law 2012 (2nd ed.) (Hart Publishing); Judicial Review (contributor, Butterworths) (3rd ed., 2006); Atkins Court Forms (Sports) 2014; and (as contributor) Judicial Safeguards in Administrative Proceedings (N P Engel 1989); The Struggle for Simplicity: Essays in Honour of Lord Cooke of Thorndon (1997); The Golden Metwand Essays in Honour of Sir William Wade QC (1998); Practitioners of EC Law Handbook (1998); European Community Law in English Courts (1999); Law and the Spirit of Inquiry: Essays in Honour of Sir Louis Blom-Cooper QC; Israel Among the Nations (1999); The Human Rights Act (1999); Freedom of Information and Expression; Essays in honour of Sir David Williams QC (2000); Judicial Review an International perspective; Essays in Honour of Lord Slynn (2000); Protecting Human Rights - the European Perspective. Essays in Honour of Rolf Ryssdal (2000); Constitutional Perspectives; Essays in Honour of H.M. Servai (2001); Judicial Review in the New Millennium (2003); Judges and Judicial Accountability (2003). He has also written for Public Law, Current Legal Problems, Modern Law Review, Commercial Law Review, European Human Rights Law Review, Statute Law Review, Political Quarterly; European Current Law, Irish Jurist; The Journal of Environmental and Planning Law; New Zealand Law Journal, Denning Law Journal, Justice of the Peace; Jersey Law Review, Judicial Law Review (Consultant Editor) and Sweet and Maxwell International Sports Law Review (General Editor).

    He gave the Statute Law Lecture (1993), the ALBA Lecture (1994), the John Kelly Lecture (UCD) (1996), the Lasok Lecture (Exeter) (1998), the Atkin Lecture (Reform Club) (1999), the Ramamani Memorial Lecture (Madras) (1999), the Margaret Howard Lecture (Trinity, Oxford) (2000), the Second Bailiff’s Lecture (Guernsey 2002), the First Hans Espeland Lecture (Oslo 2002), the Alexander Howard Lecture (Royal College of Surgeons 2003), the Peter Taylor Memorial Lecture (Royal Grammar School, Newcastle 2003), the David Hall Memorial Lecture (Environmental Law Foundation 2004). He was one of four panelists in a debate held in lieu of the Tom Sargant Annual Lecture for Justice (2005), the Neill Lecture (All Souls, Oxford 2006), the Ben Kingsley Lecture (Warwick School 2008), the Barnards Inn Reading (Grays Inn) 2009, the Alexander Lecture (Institute of Arbitration 2009), the second Birkenhead Lecture (Grays Inn 2010), the Sir David Williams Lecture (Cambridge) 2010, the Lady Hale Lecture (Salford 2012), the Edward Grayson Lecture (British Association Sport and Law) 2012, the Macdermott Lecture(Queens University Belfast) 2012.

    Books

    • A Short Walk on the Campus (with Jonathan Aitken) 1964.
    • The Plate Glass Universities (1967)
    • Universities in the Modern World (contributor) (2004)
    • The Blair Administration (contributor) (2007)
    • The House of Lords (contributor) (2009)

    He has been an Associate Editor of the Dictionary of National Biography (for Lawyers).

    Articles

    In national journals Encounter, The Spectator, The New Statesman, The Observer, The Times, The Times Literary Supplement, The Daily Telegraph.

    Memoir

    Michael’s memoir ’’MJBQC-a Life within and without the law’’ was published in 2022 with a foreword by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury former President of the Supreme Court. The review in the Commonwealth Lawyer said ’’this is easily the most illuminating, perceptive and witty memoir to emerge in recent times’’.

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