Michael Manhas

Competent on environmental compliance, but communication was inconsistent.

I engaged Michael Manhas at Norton Rose Fulbright to assist my small manufacturing firm with a complex compliance issue involving state-level environmental regulations and potential permitting violations. While his technical knowledge was evident—particularly in navigating the intersection of environmental and energy regulatory frameworks—the overall experience was mixed. Mr. Manhas was able to analyze our situation efficiently and provided a solid legal strategy that ultimately helped us reach a satisfactory settlement with the agency. His recognition in environmental law is well-founded in this regard. However, for a client new to legal proceedings, the communication flow was sometimes lacking. There were periods of several days without updates, and explanations, while accurate, occasionally felt rushed or assumed a level of prior knowledge. Given his one year of practice, I expected a more hands-on, guiding approach. He is clearly a sharp attorney with a promising future in Aboriginal and Environmental Law, but the client service aspect and management of expectations felt like areas still developing. For straightforward matters, he is capable, but for those needing significant hand-holding, you might want to clarify communication protocols upfront.