Masters of the Bench

James is the First Treasury Counsel.  After Magdalen College, Cambridge, he joined the then chambers of Patrick Neill QC.  His practice there was mainly commercial, but as befits a former pupil of Nicholas Bratza, he also appeared before the ECHR in Strasbourg.  After a spell at Serle Court, James moved to Blackstone Chambers in 2003 where he continued his commercial and public law practice.  James was appointed Junior Counsel to the Crown, Common Law, in 1997 and remained on the Treasury A Panel until 2008 when he took Silk.