Michael is a legal and policy consultant who has helped develop special economic zone (SEZ) programs for countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Over the course of his career, he has drafted regulations, established administrative agencies, introduced investment climate reforms, structured public-private partnerships, and promoted socially and environmentally responsible development projects. He is the CEO of Politas Consulting, which provides innovative legal and policy solutions to help cities and special jurisdictions achieve inclusive growth. He is also the Executive Director of Refugee Cities, an NGO applying special-jurisdiction frameworks to expand opportunities for migrants.

Michael's professional experience ranges from legal and policy consulting to real estate negotiation, and from organizational management to community engagement. Michael was the Managing Director of Locus Economica, a boutique SEZ consulting firm advising on numerous World Bank, UNIDO, and direct-government projects. Michael also served as a consultant with the World Bank, Legal Vice Presidency, specializing in urban law and development issues. Before that, he worked for the Public International Law and Policy Group, where he provided legal assistance to the governments of South Sudan, Georgia, and Yemen on a variety of matters.

Michael earned a J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and an M.A. in International Politics from American University, School of International Service. His work has been featured in National Geographic, der Standard, Christian Science Monitor, and Weltwoche. His publications in legal journals cover the political economy of international trade and investment, comparative local government, “Charter Cities,” U.S. immigration law, and expropriation jurisprudence. 

Michael is a Senior Program Officer of WEPZA and an active member of the New York State Bar Association.