Michael is a lawyer, writer, academic and provocateur on insolvency and reconstruction, personal bankruptcy and related business and social issues; government and professional regulation; and international insolvency and regulatory law. Michael is presently an Adjunct Professor at QUT Law School, where he gives advice on research and law reform projects to staff and students. He is also involved with the Business School in its economic perspective on aspects of insolvency and business conduct.

Michael’s website Murrays Legal is not a legal firm and does not offer legal advice. Michael draws upon his background of law and policy, is fiercely independently, and states that views are strictly his own. A self proclaimed ‘provocateur’, Michael is a prolific writer and an oustanding ‘marksman’ when it comes to his postulating and intriguing commentary on overwhelmingly complex corporate and personal insolvency law, reform and policy (in the making and on the horizon). The law of Australia is the focus yet Michael uses international and jurisdicational comparisons to underline issues, point out similarities, flag irregularities – and – provoke deeper thinking.

In 2014, Michael was made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and in 2017 was elected a director of the Academy. Michael’s areas of academic and practice interest include personal insolvency, director duties and conduct, practitioner duties and regulation, the roles of regulators, banking regulation, and the use of technology in insolvency. Michael Murray is presently an author and writer for LexisNexis, Thomson Reuters and Edward Elgar and a government adviser and appointee to statutory committees under the Bankruptcy Act.

Michael Murray is co-author of Keay’s Insolvency, with his academic colleague Jason Harris (currently maintained to its 11th Edition). This fundamental and widely acknowledged text is essential reading for those seeking to undertake the ABRT Executive Certification.

Research Interests

• Australian insolvency law and related issues in governance, tax, regulation, ethics and more.
• Law and ethics for the Academy of Law.
• International cross-border insolvency law, for UNCCA and UNCITRAL.
• Current Masters research thesis (LLM). ‘Role of the insolvency practitioner’. University of Technology Sydney.

Education, Professional Memberships & Attainment: 

• Academic Member and Restructuring & Turnaround Associate. RTA®.
• Fellow and Director, Australian Academy of Law
• Insolvency Academics Network (IAN)
• Banking and Financial Services Law Association (BFSLA).
• Diploma in Criminology (Sydney, McClemens Prize).
• Bachelors Degree in Law, penology, sociology, statistics. University of Sydney. LLB. 
• Insolvency Law & Practice I & II. University of Southern Queensland (first place for each module, nationally).