Michelle Mersey

Michelle Mersey is a Partner and Head of IMD’s Commercial Law Department. She advises private equity firms and corporate clients with global operations on a broad range of commercial and contractual matters, helping businesses manage risk, support strategic growth and navigate complex cross-border relationships.

Michelle’s practice focuses on the drafting, review and negotiation of sophisticated commercial agreements across multiple jurisdictions. She has extensive experience advising on non-disclosure agreements, reliance letters, engagement letters, service agreements, consultancy agreements, vendor contracts, software licensing agreements, SaaS agreements and data protection obligations. She works closely with clients to deliver commercially focused, practical and effective solutions that support their objectives while protecting their interests.

Her clients include private equity investors, international corporate groups and businesses operating across a range of sectors. Michelle is particularly valued for her ability to manage complex contractual arrangements spanning different legal systems and regulatory environments, providing clear and pragmatic advice on commercial risk allocation, contractual protections and operational implementation.

Prior to focusing on commercial law, Michelle practised cross-border corporate finance law in both Europe and the United States. During this period, she advised creditors and borrowers, including banks, finance companies, private equity funds, hedge funds and public and private companies. Her work encompassed financing transactions, cross-border capital markets matters, mergers and acquisitions and a broad range of general corporate matters. This experience provides Michelle with valuable insight into the commercial, financial and strategic considerations that influence complex business transactions.

Michelle’s international background and experience across both transactional and commercial legal disciplines enable her to provide commercially astute advice that reflects the realities of modern global business operations. She combines technical excellence with a practical and collaborative approach, helping clients negotiate and implement contractual arrangements with confidence.

Michelle holds a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford and a B.A. in Asian Studies with a minor in French from Emory University. She has been admitted to the New York Bar since January 2011.