James is recommended as a leading lawyer in Chambers and Partners (Asset Finance and Leasing), Best Lawyers (Structured Finance, Asset Finance, Aviation Finance, and Banking and Finance) in Doyle's Guide (in Banking and Finance) and in Aviation by Who's Who Legal.

Career highlights

• Advising Qantas in relation to the acquisition, financing and leasing of almost 50 aircraft in the Qantas fleet in the last 3 years, and most recently, in relation to its $2 billion Enhanced Corporate Loan Note Facility Program - the first Series for $350 million and the second Series for $450 million and the third series for $375 million done by a US private placement.
• Advising the financier to Pel-Air Aviation in relation to its funding of 5 fixed wing aircraft to be used in the provision of air ambulance services to NSW Ambulance.
• Advising Investec on a number of asset based lending transactions secured over receivables, plant and equipment including transactions involving intercreditor arrangements between the asset based lender and term loan creditors.
• Advising global lessors of aircraft which leased to Qantas and Virgin Australia on their leasing and novation transactions including Aircastle, Avolon, Avation, Nordic Aviation, Wells Fargo, ST Aerospace and GECAS.
• Advising owners, operators, financiers and lessors on corporate aircraft acquisitions, sale and financing and lease transactions.
• Advising Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) in relation to its intermediate funding programs supporting the asset finance transactions of NAB, CBA, ANZ, Westpac, Macquarie and Bank of Queensland, as well as funding programs in relation to green home loans funded by Bank Australia.
• Advising Challenger in relation to a number of asset based lending transactions over receivables and equipment as well as asset leasing transactions.
• Advising on several transactions involving the provision of debt facilities by a funder / investor into an equipment lessor / loan provider together with the taking of an equity interest by the funder / investor into the equipment lessor / loan provider.
• Advising finance parties in warehouse funding and securitisation transactions involving equipment lease receivables, auto loan receivables, consumer loans, as well as RMBS transactions.
• Advising a number of financiers and banks in relation to preparation of standard lease and receivables finance documents including most recently NAB in relation to its project to rewrite and simplify its entire suite of documents (several hundred documents) for small business lending, equipment finance and invoice finance facilities as part of its simplification and Banking Code of Practice project.
• Advising the refinancing by PHI Group in Australia of its fleet of helicopters in Australia under asset based lending facilities from lenders outside of Australia.
• Advising two different financiers to successful sponsors/bidders for the NSW Governments Social and Affordable Housing Fund project Phase I (SAHF I) and Phase II (SAHF II).
• Advising several different lessors and financiers of mining equipment to the Maules Creek Coal Joint Venture in relation to separate transactions for the financing of new mining equipment and refinancing of existing mining equipment.
• Advising Citi on several separate transactions involving structured funding and repurchase arrangements with global sponsors in relation to a number of loan and lease portfolios.
  

Education
B Com, LLB(Hons)

• Law Society, England and Wales
• Law Society of Queensland
• Law Society of New South Wales

• Covid-19: Government helps the securitisation industry and non-bank lenders compete
  Non-bank lenders and smaller ADIs will have access to affordable funding to support the flow of credit to customers, largely individuals and SMEs, and promote competition in the lending market.
• $200m Billabong Scheme breaks new M&A ground - Last minute price increases possible in mergers by Schemes of Arrangement
  

  MinterEllison has advised Centerbridge in relation to a scheme to acquire shares in Billabong.

• FINsights | LIBOR transition - what you need to know
  

  LIBOR – the base rate that underpins the global financial markets – will cease in December 2021. We discuss how this affects transactions that directly or indirectly reference LIBOR, and what you need to do to prepare.