James' practice covers a wide range of corporate activities with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, US and UK IPOs and public company advisory work and private equity transactions. He also has significant experience advising on joint ventures, restructurings (including distressed restructurings), reorganisations, start-ups and technical and regulatory matters (in particular company law and competition, insurance, banking and other financial services regulation), and has acted as an expert witness on Jersey company law.

His recent experience includes advising on a $2.6bn private equity acquisition of an environmental science business, the formation of a $7bn precious metals joint venture, a number of public takeovers on the UK markets and the restructuring of a Nasdaq listed bioscience comapny.

James' clients include LSE Main Market, NYSE, AIM and TISE listed companies, global financial institutions including banks, insurance companies and brokers, investment managers and fintech businesses, natural resources companies and international retail groups. He also has a strong local M&A and corporate advisory practice.

James has featured in The Jersey & Guernsey Law Review 2017, having authored an article on Filing of Shareholder Agreements and external documents: Jersey Law Practice.

James is rated as a 'Leading Lawyer - Highly Regarded' in IFLR1000 and a 'Next Generation Partner' by Legal 500, and is ranked by Chambers UK. He was recently named as one of Jersey's Top 10 Most Influential Offshore Corporate and Finance Lawyers for 2023 by Business Today. 

James began his career at Allen & Overy, where he worked in London, Singapore and Bratislava. Before joining Carey Olsen in 2010 he also worked at Jones Day in Singapore and Pinsent Masons in Birmingham. He was admitted as an English solicitor in 2004 and a Jersey advocate in 2013, and became a partner at Carey Olsen in 2016. James also has experience working as in-house counsel for a UK-based power project developer.

He is an alumnus of King's College, London, Nottingham Law School and the Institute of Law, Jersey.

James is an adjunct professor of the Institute of Law, Jersey in relation to the Company Law module of the Jersey Law Course, a course of structured tuition provided by the Institute of Law leading to the qualifying examinations for advocates and solicitors in Jersey. He is also a governor of Jersey College for Girls and Jersey College Prep.

• Starting Point Employment Law Guide: Starting a business in Jersey
• Incorporating a Jersey Company
• Coming to America: Jersey introduces US-style LLCs
• Carey Olsen advises on Vue recapitalisation
• To file, or not to file? That is the question: filing shareholders agreements under Jersey law
• Why use Jersey companies for U.S. listings?
• Carey Olsen advises EG Group on £2.27 billion majority sale to ASDA
• Carey Olsen advises on the sale of Jacksons Group Limited to Van Mossel Automotive Group
• Carey Olsen lawyers recognised in latest IFLR1000 2023 rankings
• Carey Olsen lawyers recognised in latest IFLR1000 2023 rankings
• Carey Olsen advises committee of lenders on Flint Group recapitalisation
• Carey Olsen advises Channel Islands Co-op on purchase of seven Lloyds Pharmacy branches