Michael Polak admitted to the Bar of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia
We are pleased to share that Michael Polak has been admitted to the Bar of the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs), marking a further extension of his international legal practice and his work connected to Cyprus and overseas justice matters.
The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are British Overseas Territories on the island of Cyprus with their own court system and legal framework. Admission to practise before the Bar of the Sovereign Base Areas enables counsel to appear in proceedings within that unique jurisdiction. The Court of the Sovereign Base Areas were set up following the Treaty of Establishment in 1960, by which the Republic of Cyprus gained independence from the United Kingdom.
The Courts of the Sovereign Base Areas serve all the civilian and military populations living in, working in, or travelling through the Sovereign Bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, which are those portions of the Island of Cyprus that were not included in the Republic of Cyprus at independence. Although funded by the British Ministry of Defence through the Sovereign Base Areas Administration, the Courts have always been and remain fully independent. The Courts deal with a wide range of offences committed within the Sovereign Base Areas, ranging from speeding and insurance offences through to serious sexual offences and murder.
Michael practises in criminal law, public international law, international crime, human rights, and strategic litigation. He frequently acts in matters in which there is an international element. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2012 and has been recognised for his international human rights work, including receiving the International Bar Association’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award in 2021. He is shortlisted for Junior of the Year at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2026, to be decided on 22 September 2026.
To instruct Michael in the SBAs, internationally, or in England and Wales please contact the clerking team at Church Court Chambers by phone +44 20 7936 3637 or email clerks@churchcourtchambers.co.uk.
