Awards
Gray’s Inn: Ann Goddard Scholarship (2024)
Gray’s Inn: Prince of Wales Scholarship (2021)
The Inns of Court College of Advocacy: Guildhall Chambers Bristol Drafting Prize (joint award) (2023)
The Inns of Court College of Advocacy: Guildhall Chambers Bristol Drafting Prize (joint award) (2023)
The Inns of Court College of Advocacy: Silver Award for BSB Criminal Litigation Assessment (second in the cohort) (2021)
Experience
Year of Call: 2023
Education
The Inns of Court College of Advocacy: Bar Course (Merit) (2023)
City, University of London: GDL (Distinction) (2021)
Frontline Academy/University of Bedfordshire: PGDip Social Work (Commendation) (2016)
University of Oxford: BA History & Politics (2:1) (2013)
Profile
James joined chambers as a tenant in October 2024 following the successful completion of his pupillage under the supervision of Nicholas Fairbank, Mani Singh Basi, Sally Bradley and Lucy Cheetham. He is seeking to build a broad family law practice and accepts instructions in all areas of family law.
In the year before he started pupillage, James was the judicial assistant to Lord Justice Peter Jackson and Lord Justice Baker at the Court of Appeal. He was then selected to stay on at the Court of Appeal as one of two vacation judicial assistants, undertaking more work for those Lord Justices of Appeal, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Moylan, among others. In his time at the Court of Appeal, he wrote bench memos and conducted legal research across the whole breadth of family law, as well as helping with speeches and lectures.
Before turning to the law, James qualified as a social worker through the graduate programme Frontline. He then practised as a child protection social worker over five years for two London local authorities.
Private Children Law
James undertakes all kinds of private children work, regularly representing parents and having also represented children through a guardian and, in one set of long-running proceedings, a child who was separately represented and who instructed their solicitor directly. James has appeared in cases concerning child arrangements, relocation both domestic and international, prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders.
James is also regularly instructed in proceedings under Part IV of the Family Law Act 1996 relating to non-molestation orders and occupation orders.
Public Children Law
James accepts instructions from local authorities, parents and guardians in public law proceedings, acting with the benefit of his previous experience as a child protection social worker. He has appeared in cases concerning allegations of non-accidental injury, allegations of sexual abuse and complex international issues. In one recent case, he appeared as sole counsel for a local authority against a silk and junior in a day-long disclosure hearing involving four other public authorities.
International Children Law
James appears in the High Court in child abduction cases, both proceedings under the 1980 Hague Convention and wardship proceedings under the inherent jurisdiction. He has experience of all stages of proceedings, from ex parte application to final hearing. At one recent wardship hearing, he appeared for the applicant local authority and obtained a forced marriage protection order.
James has also appeared in several disputes concerning access under Art 21 of the 1980 Hague Convention.
Family Finance
James has been instructed at all stages of financial remedy proceedings, including first appointments, FDRs and final hearings. He has appeared in cases featuring issues around business valuation, third party beneficial ownership and the disposition of assets to defeat an applicant’s claim. James has also been instructed to provide written advice in financial remedy cases.
Professional Memberships
The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
Family Law Bar Association
Association of Lawyers for Children