James is a leading commercial silk with a broad practice in high-stakes commercial and regulatory litigation. He is regularly briefed in complex disputes across competition and consumer law, energy law, class actions, corporations and insolvency, and professional negligence.
He appears for corporations, financial institutions, professional services firms, liquidators and government agencies in matters of real legal, commercial and reputational consequence. He is particularly sought after in disputes with a strong regulatory, governance or enforcement dimension. His practice includes substantial litigation for and against ASIC, the ACCC and the AER.
James has acted in several landmark and closely watched matters, including proceedings in the financial services, infrastructure, retail banking and energy sectors, as well as cases involving tax fraud and asset recovery and alleged anti-competitive or misleading conduct. He appears at trial and on appeal, and is frequently retained in urgent interlocutory applications and other commercially sensitive disputes.
He also has substantial Royal Commission experience. He advised and appeared for Westpac Group in the Financial Services Royal Commission, and for the Commonwealth of Australia in the Aged Care Royal Commission and the Disability Royal Commission.
Before joining the Bar, James was a Senior Associate at Allens. He holds a Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws from the University of Sydney.
James is Chair of the trustee of The Barristers’ Sickness & Accident Fund, a general insurer that provides sickness and accident insurance to members of the NSW Bar, and is a member of one of the NSW Bar’s Professional Conduct Committees.
