James is a Partner in the Family department and specialises in all aspects of family work.
James advises clients in respect of all aspects of financial remedies, including high value financial disputes with complex financial issues and jurisdictional disputes. He has also worked on cases with elements of non-disclosure, insolvency and alleged sham transactions. James also deals with pre-nuptial, post-nuptial, cohabitation and separation agreements.
James has acted for a number of high net worth and high-profile individuals. He has a particular interest in cases involving the Middle East, having acted in recent years for a range of clients from countries in the region including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in both financial and children matters.
James has extensive experience of private law children matters, including applications concerning child arrangements and leave to remove children from and within the jurisdiction. James is a member of the Family team’s high conflict and complex children specialism group.
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]
Other Key Experience
- 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