About
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 following divorce abroad; and child arrangements (custody) issues, and child abduction and relocation. He has been responsible for leading cases in both financial law (such as J v S (child maintenance) [2023] EWHC 844 (Fam)) and child arrangements law (such as Re O (Domestic Abuse: International Relocation) [2025] EWCA Civ 888).
James is most well-known for his expertise in complex cross-border jurisdiction matters (particularly involving Italy and Switzerland), claims against offshore trusts and the interplay between family and insolvency law. He was a member of Resolution's Brexit Working Party and is co-author 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 family 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 is regularly quoted in the press and his recent speaking engagements include the Law Society-UIA modern families seminar in 2022; the NY State Bar Association's international conferences in 2022 and 2024; the UIA’s 2024 congress in Paris; the Milan Bar’s seminar on aspects of English family law for Italian lawyers in November 2025.
James' other reported cases include 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).
Experience
- J v S [2023] EWHC 844 (Fam), in which James acted successfully for his client in this leading child maintenance variation case.
- Re O (Children) (Privilege against Self-Incrimination) [2023] EWFC 14
- A Wife v A Husband [2022] EWFC 154, in which James acted successfully for the former husband in a maintenance variation and enforcement matter.
- In an important case in the unfolding impact of the EU's new cross-border 'Maintenance Regulation', James successfully obtained a stop to financial proceedings in England which allowed proceedings begun by his client in Spain to continue, whilst at the same time negotiating a child custody and visiting agreement which assisted both parties.
- Navigating the complicated interactions of family, property and contract law facing unmarried couples, James succeeded in negotiating a settlement of proceedings which allowed his client to keep her home and allowed the parties and their collaborators to keep their tech business intact and thriving. James also helped the parties to reach a comprehensive child arrangements consent order for their 4 children.
- M v W (Financial relief – Divorce – Trust assets) [2010]
- Kremen v Agrest and Fishman (Financial relief; Avoidance of disposition orders; Financial provision; Sham transactions) [2010]
- G v G (Financial Remedies: Strike out) [2012]
