James is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and has significant experience with general civil litigation and, more specifically, judicial review proceedings.
Prior to joining Appleby as an Associate, James practised as a Barrister in England and Wales, appearing as sole Counsel before senior judges in the UK, including in the Court of Appeal and, frequently, the High Court. During his practice he was also appointed by the UK government to represent various departments and Secretaries of State, including HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs).
Before training as a Barrister, James served as a Judicial Assistant to Lady Justice Arden (as she then was) in the UK Court of Appeal, during which he worked on a variety of high-value commercial appeals.
James holds an LLB degree with Honours from Cardiff University, a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford and an LLM degree from the University of Cambridge where his studies included international commercial litigation and a dissertation on the law of restitution.
Appleby’s Dispute Resolution department is one of the largest litigation practices in Bermuda. It is comprised of dedicated, specialised litigators advising on a full range of legal issues for high-profile, high-value, sophisticated and complex disputes. The team is described as “very responsive and commercially aware”, noting “they are able to draw upon each other’s strengths to deliver bespoke solutions” (Chambers Global 2023) and having “a strength and depth few other Bermuda firms can match” (Legal 500 2022).
James said: “I joined Appleby due to the exceptional quality of the firm’s work and the excellent prospects for professional development which inevitably arise in working alongside colleagues who are market-leaders in their respective fields. I look forward to working with others within the dispute resolution team to achieve the best possible results for our clients.”
John Wasty, Head of Appleby’s Dispute Resolution practice in Bermuda, commented: “I am thrilled to welcome James into our growing and market leading dispute resolution team. He brings a wide range of expertise, experience and acumen which will inevitably build upon our current strengths particularly in our advocacy unit. He has already hit the ground running in several significant ongoing and new cases, and I am in no doubt he will be a considerable asset to Appleby and our exceptional clients moving forward.”
