Profile
Year of Call:
2022Overview
James maintains a diverse practice with a particular interest in commercial and corporate matters, public law matters and arbitration.
Prior to being called to the Bar, James was a Senior Associate in the international disputes department of Baker Botts (UK) LLP in London. In that role, he acted for clients in complex disputes before the English courts and international commercial arbitration tribunals (as solicitor and advocate) on predominately energy-related matters.
James commenced his career as a solicitor at Clayton Utz in Brisbane. He also served as an Associate to the Hon. Justice Patrick Keane in the High Court of Australia.
James holds a Master of Law (Hons Class I) from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons Class I) from the University of Queensland.
Experience
Recent experience as solicitor and advocate in London:
> Acting in LCIA proceedings for the non-operator of an Egyptian petroleum concession concerning allegedly wrongful charges against the joint account.
> Acting in LCIA proceedings for a lender in relation to a loan purportedly written-off by the a central bank of a European State.
> Acting in an ICC arbitration for a subsidiary of a major US oil company in relation to the sale and purchase from an African state-owned oil company of offshore oil concessions.
> Acting for the investor in a bilateral investment treaty arbitration against a Middle Eastern State in relation to the construction of a power project.
> Acting for the investor in a bilateral investment treaty against a Central Asian State in relation to the telecommunications industry.
Recent experience as a solicitor in London:
> Acting for a US-based oil company in English High Court proceedings against other major oil companies in a joint venture dispute related to the Accounting Procedure in a Joint Operating Agreement.
> Acting for Swiss and Liechtenstein banks in English High Court proceedings in relation to claims made against them under Swiss, Kuwaiti and English law concerning alleged misappropriation of funds from a Middle Eastern State.
> Acting in defamation proceedings against a major publisher.
> Acting for high net worth individuals in English High Court proceedings concerning a call option said to be illegal under the law of the place of performance
> Acting for the organisers of a global motorsport competition in a dispute against the organisers of one leg of the competition
Appointments
2016-2017 Appointed as an Honorary Senior Scholar by Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge
Career
2022 Barrister, Queensland
2017-2022 Associate / Senior Associate, Baker Botts (UK) LLP (London)
2014-2017 Solicitor, Clayton Utz (Brisbane)
2013 Admitted as a solicitor, Supreme Court of Queensland
2013 Associate to the Hon. Justice Patrick Keane, High Court of Australia
Education
2016 Master of Law (Hons I), University of Cambridge
2012 Bachelor of Laws (Hons I), University of Queensland
Awards
2016 Awarded 1912 Senior Scholarship by Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge
2016 Awarded Houston Putnam Lowry Prize for Law by Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge
