Expertise

James has particular expertise acting for Claimants in tax mis-selling claims, group actions and cases involving commercial/corporate fraud.  He has a broad commercial litigation background having qualified and practised as a barrister for seven years at the start of his career, and now works alongside former HMRC solicitors and tax inspectors as part of Stewarts’ multi-disciplinary approach to tax disputes.

He has recently acted for large groups of investors in several high profile investment schemes against promoters, banks and advisers, including Eclipse, Scotts Atlantic Distributors, Ingenious and Scion, which are among the largest group actions currently proceeding through the courts.

From 2017 to 2020 he was Vice-President, then President of the Commercial Fraud Commission of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA).

Experience

• Represented groups of investors in the Ingenious and Scion schemes in claims against the promoters of those schemes as well as intermediaries
• Acted for the first defendant in the long-running Kazakhstan Kagazy v Zhunus litigation, which involved many reported decisions in both the Commercial Court and Court of Appeal concerning freezing orders, security for costs, interim costs orders and part 20 proceedings
• Acted for a FTSE 100 company to investigate and seek redress for a substantial fraud
• Acted in numerous high-value commercial claims involving shareholder and joint venture disputes, contractual disputes and breaches of directors’ duties.

Recognition

James is described in The Legal 500 as “an outstanding litigator.  He has a keen mind and always thinks several steps ahead.”

James is part of a team described as having “a perfect blend of cut and thrust litigation experience coupled with deep tax law knowledge, having senior team members from a diverse range of tax law backgrounds.”

Career

James qualified and practiced as a barrister before spending a further period at leading commercial litigation practice in the City.  James joined Stewarts in March 2019.

Accreditations and Memberships

• President of Commercial Fraud Commission of AIJA
• Practising barrister with full rights of audience
• Member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
• Member of COMBAR, LSLA and BACFI

Publications

• Gave presentation on recent developments in asset recovery as part of KNECT 365’s Financial Services Litigation seminar in November 2018
• Published article comparing criminal and civil remedies in the Barrister Magazine in September 2018
• Chaired panel at August 2018 AIJA Annual Congress in Brussels on competition between English-speaking commercial courts around the world, and the impact on the Commercial Court in London. Panelists included litigators practising in London, Singapore, Dubai and Amsterdam

Personal

Away from the office, James enjoys time with his family, good food and wine, and, most of all, combining all three while on adventures overseas.