Mike has been a partner in the marine team at Hill Dickinson for 25 years. Hill Dickinson has one of the largest specialised shipping practices, with more than 110 lawyers practising maritime law worldwide. Last year Mike opened Hill Dickinson’s Hong Kong office, in association with the local firm Laracy & Co. As a former Master Mariner with 13 years' seagoing experience and a degree in Maritime Studies (Tech), he deals in particular with problems arising out of maritime casualties.

Mike acted for the successful assured “Starsea”, which is still the leading case on the duty of good faith in the marine insurance claim context, for the salvors in the largest Lloyds Open Form salvage arbitration award ever obtained, and recently for the owners of the "Costa Concordia" and their liability insurers in relation to that vessel’s grounding and capsize. He was recently listed by “Tradewinds” as one of the world’s top 5 lawyers for shipping emergencies and in December 2013 he was named in the legal section of Lloyds List’s “top 100 most influential people in the shipping industry”.

Mr Mallin has suggested a topic of "Costa Concordia".