James occupies a unique position as a practising member of both the English Bar and various Caribbean bars – he is, for example, the only English barrister who regularly appears before the courts of Barbados. James has appeared as advocate before the Privy Council, Barbados Court of Appeal, English High Court, and Supreme Court of Barbados – frequently against KCs/SCs.
Legal 500 has recognised James as a Tier 1 ‘Leading Junior’ (2025) for crypto and blockchain law. He is an industry insider, having been deeply engaged in the digital assets space since 2017. James has represented or advised developers, foundations, one of the largest digital assets exchanges, a monetary authority, and others. He was a legal consultant at the Bank of England focusing on digital assets and has spoken on legal/regulatory issues relating to digital assets at conferences and seminars.
James is also recognised as ‘Rising Star’ (2024) and ‘Leading Junior’ (2025) by Legal 500 for commercial offshore disputes/advice. Having practised as an attorney at leading disputes firms in Barbados and Trinidad before joining the English Bar, James brings genuine regional insights to Caribbean cases. He has handled disputes in Barbados, Trinidad, Antigua, Grenada, Bermuda, Bahamas, and others.
James is an experienced commercial disputes specialist, with particular expertise in fraud, corporate governance, arbitration, insurance/reinsurance, and digital assets. His recent and ongoing cases include:
- Representing a Barbadian company in an application to set aside a worldwide freezing order in the sum of £93 million arising out of alleged oppression/unfair prejudice (as lead counsel)
- Representing an insurance company in a US$20 million LCIA arbitration (led by Richard Eschwege KC)
- Representing a Barbadian public telecom company in a complex trial of a class/group action brought by 400+ shareholders claiming that the company’s privatisation was an unlawful takeover and oppressive. The trial commenced in March 2023 and has involved over 50 days of hearing
- Acting for an international businessperson and his companies in a US$1.02 billion oppression/unfair prejudice action involving hotly disputed allegations of fraud
- Acting for a shipbuilding company in an ICC arbitration in Paris with £40m+ in dispute (leading Alexandra Sidossis and Anna Lancy)
- Representing a public authority in a case concerning alleged civil fraud in a Caribbean country, involving over $200m
- Represented a Caribbean businessman in a tax appeal before the Privy Council, focusing on the income tax regime in Trinidad and Tobago (as advocate)
- Advising on a prospective international commercial arbitration involving multi-billion-pound stakes (led by Simon Davenport KC)
- Represented an investment brokerage firm in a Bermudan claim, alleging the wrongful sale of US$100 million of bonds (led by Simon Davenport KC)
Beyond commercial disputes, James also has a significant public law practice. His work encompasses administrative, constitutional, and tax cases. He has been instructed in judicial reviews and appeals before the Privy Council and Caribbean Court of Justice. James draws on his experience as judicial assistant to Lady Justice Asplin in the English Court of Appeal, as well as his postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford (BCL).
