James advises clients from all types of family arrangements and relationships. He is also a trained Mediator and Collaborative Lawyer.
James has been ranked in Chambers High Net Worth; Spear's Wealth Management's 'Rising Stars of Wealth Management' index; CityWealth's 'Leading Family and Matrimonial Lawyers index; and recognised as a Key Lawyer in Legal 500.
His work covers cohabitation, nuptial agreements, Civil Partnerships, separation, divorce and the financial consequences of the same; financial claims on behalf of children; and child arrangements (custody) issues, and child abduction and relocation.
James is most well-known for his experience and expertise in complex cross-border jurisdiction matters, claims against offshore trusts and the interplay between family law and insolvency issues. He was a member of Resolution's Brexit Working Party and is co-author with David Lingham of the UK chapter of the leading practitioner guide 'Global Mobility of Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals', published in association with STEP. He is co-author of Lexis' guide for insolvency practitioners on matrimonial financial law.
James is a fluent Italian speaker and has a busy UK-Italian practice. He has worked with all of Italy's leading family lawyers and has spoken frequently at family law conferences in Italy.
James is responsible for Knowledge Management in the Family team at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP.
James' publications include:
- Interviewed by the BBC World Service on the involvement of Facebook and other social media in family law.
- 'Divorce Jurisdiction Shopping: A Race For Warring Couples', Wealth Briefing, December 2011.
- 'Mitigating the impact of divorce on family businesses', Wealth Briefing, June 2011.
- 'Four-way split. Expats in a race if they start divorce proceedings', The Financial Times, April 2011.
- Article in July 2020's STEP Journal on the Court of Appeal's decision in XW v XH on "special contribution" and business valuations in divorce proceedings.
James' speaking engagements include the IAFL's Milan conference in 2019; the Law Society-Union Internationale des Avocats' modern families seminar in 2022; the New York State Bar Association's international conferences in 2022 and 2024; and the UIA’s congress in Paris in 2024.
James' reported cases include J v S (child maintenance) [2023] EWHC 844 (Fam); Re O (Privilege against Self-Incrimination) [2023] EWFC 14; A Wife v A Husband (child maintenance) [2022] EWFC 154; G v G (Financial Remedies: Strike out) [2012]; M v W (Divorce – Trust assets) [2010]; D v S (Child Abduction: Acquiescence) [2008] EWHC 363 (Fam).