Overview
James specialises in financial provision cases of all kinds and has considerable experience including: complex asset/income structures, including domestic and off-shore personal and commercial wealth and trust structures; expert valuations; inherited wealth; farming cases; complex pension arrangements; bankruptcy related issues; international forum shopping; variation cases; Schedule 1 cases; and international and domestic enforcement issues.
He typically represents clients in mid to high level and/or particularly complex cases including at an appellate level and through arbitration. James also has considerable experience advising upon, drafting and enforcing nuptial agreements.
Expertise
James has acted in numerous complex and big money cases, both reported and not, including several leading cases. He appears frequently in the Family Court at the Royal Courts of Justice and the Central Family Court, and elsewhere around the country. James has represented clients in several cases in the Court of Appeal as well as at private FDRs, round-table meetings and in arbitrations.
James was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2016 and is instructed both alone and with juniors from QEB and other chambers.
James is an accredited IFLA Arbitrator (MCIArb). He also conducts private FDRs. He is also qualified to accept Public Access work. James has been consistently ranked in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. To quote these directories:
- “Really does have everything you require from a leading QC. He is intelligent, supremely diligent in his preparation and a fabulous advocate both on paper and orally.”
- “Hugely intelligent and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the case law and issues. He is an excellent private FDR judge and has a nice, measured manner which clients respond to.”
- “There is excellent strategic thinking going on underneath his calm and measured delivery. He is forceful on his feet and very persuasive but wins many of his arguments through his written submissions, which are some of the most eloquent and well-researched I’ve come across.”
- “James can cut through a brief to identify the magic number for settlement in lightning-quick time. Happily, his extraordinary intelligence combines with a down-to-earth nature and clients feel very safe in his hands.”
- “James has been described as a superb advocate who is thorough, careful and efficient, whose first-rate advocacy is received well in court and who is equally charming as an advocate and opponent.”
