James is a Partner in the Family team with over 15 years of experience.
James deals primarily with high value financial disputes with complex financial issues including trust/company structures and offshore assets in jurisdictions such as Liechtenstein, the BVI, the Isle of Man and Jersey. Often these cases also have elements of non-disclosure, insolvency and alleged sham transactions. He also advises in relation to jurisdictional disputes.
James has acted for a number of high net worth and high-profile individuals based both domestically and internationally. He has a particular interest in cases involving the Middle East, having acted in recent years in contentious cases for a range of clients from countries in the region including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. James also has experience of advising wealthy Indian and Hong Kong based families and acting for and against Trustees in terms of asset and wealth protection from a matrimonial/family perspective.
James is a collaborative and pragmatic lawyer. He works side by side with every client to devise the most effective strategy and then drives his cases forward with a clear objective of achieving the best outcomes.
He drives cases forward with the clear objective of achieving his client's desired outcome. James has been singled out for praise in both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 for his particular focus on client care and his strategic tactile approach to litigation.
Key Experience
- AZ v AG (Part lll Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984) [2023]
- AG v VD [2021]
- AG v VD [2020]
- Rapp v Sarre [2016]
- Arif v Anwar [2014]
- Mohan v Mohan [2013]
- Tchenguiz-Imerman v Imerman [2012]
- Acting for a Middle Eastern mother in Wardship proceedings and successfully securing permission from the English Court for the mother and her children to return to their native country. James subsequently acted for the same client in Part III financial proceedings securing the client a lump sum payment of over £27 million from the English Court (AZ v AG [2023]), in circumstances where the Court found she had zero entitlement in her native country.
- Representing a UHNW Middle Eastern businesswoman in financial remedy proceedings and Children Act proceedings.
- Acting for a HNW Middle Eastern politician in Part III financial proceedings following a marriage and divorce in the parties’ native country in the Middle East.
- Acting for a member of one of the UK’s wealthiest noble families in financial remedy proceedings.
- Acting for a City financier with complex financial structures and significant disputes over the value of his business and future earning potential. There were parallel Children Act proceedings where there were ongoing issues regarding children arrangements and allegations of alienating behaviour.
- Advising a leading civil QC and negotiating a comprehensive financial settlement on his behalf.
- Successfully representing a husband seeking to challenge the jurisdiction of the English Court in divorce proceedings. The wife’s petition was dismissed by the High Court.
- Acting for a businessman in financial remedy proceedings with the bulk of the assets were held offshore in Liechtenstein.
- Acting for the wife of a businessman in financial remedy proceedings which concluded in a 10-day Final hearing in the High Court.
Career History
Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Managing Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Solicitor, Hughes Fowler Carruthers
University of Wales: Aberystwyth, BS Econ International History & Politics