James is a commercial barrister. He is not a litigator. He is a specialist front-end construction lawyer with expertise in the procurement, contracting and delivery of construction projects across a range of industries. He also provides probity advice on significant and sensitive public sector projects.
James was admitted as barrister and solicitor in New Zealand in 1999 and in England and Wales in 2004. He joined Canterbury Chambers as a commercial barrister in May 2025 after 11 years with Greenwood Roche in Christchurch.
He previously spent 11 years practicing in London where he was recommended by the UK Legal 500 for his work in development in the social housing sector. He returned to New Zealand in 2013 to lead Greenwood Roche’s engagement on Kāinga Ora’s $1.2b Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Programme.
James sits on the South Island Regional Committee of Property Council New Zealand, is the immediate past Chair of the South Island Region, and a past director on Property Council’s national board. Prior to his move to the bar he was recommended as a Leading Construction, Projects & Infrastructure Lawyer by Doyles Guide and was ranked by Chambers and Partners – Asia Pacific for construction.
James provided guidance to the construction sector, for the Construction Sector Accord, on issues arising from Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland flood events and has presented, for the New Zealand Law Society, to construction lawyers on procurement and construction issues.
James has acted on major projects and programmes for Government ministries and Crown agents, local authorities (and their subsidiaries), contractors, owner developers, and consultants. He has experience in range of sectors including social infrastructure (particularly social housing in New Zealand and the United Kingdom), residential, industrial, commercial, hospitality, education, and primary (particularly dairy).
