James is a partner in our company commercial team based in our Guildford office. He specialises in corporate and company commercial law advising on new business ventures, legal structures, sales & acquisitions, mergers, buy-outs, and a wide range of commercial contracts.

His clients are mainly entrepreneurs, growth businesses, family businesses, management teams, investors and social enterprises. His specialist sectors include: media, PR, advertising, software consultancy, branding, web design, manufacturing & retail, not for profit organisations and sports & entertainment.

James joined Hart Brown in October 2010. He was educated at Eton College and Bristol University. He then trained at the College of Law before qualifying with an established London firm and joining their commercial department in 2000, becoming a partner there in 2006.

Interests

I play a fair amount of sport, particularly tennis and cricket and go sailing and hiking whenever I get the chance. More sedate interests include being at home with the family, reading (preferably historical novels) and the occasional game of chess or poker.

Favourite travel destination

I’ve done quite a lot of travelling but love going down to Cornwall or up to Scotland (with a young family this is increasingly likely to be the norm). Final answer though is probably sailing around the Greek Islands.

What would you have become if you had not become a lawyer?

At one end of the scale I’d have been a champion surfer, at the other end managing director of a global corporation. Then again the career computer at school said I’d make a good librarian.

High point in legal career  

Completing my first business sale for £5m for a client for whom I’d acted for from the inception of his business.