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James is pragmatic, practical and approachable. He never overlooks the detail but is brilliant at summarising complex commercial scenarios to help clients understand the risks.

With over a decade of experience in leading our commercial practice, James is a Partner, Head of Commercial, and leader of our Manufacturing group. He is a trusted advisor to household-name clients across a wide range of sectors to get key deals right. He specialises in intricate commercial transactions that underpin his clients’ most critical commercial relationships.

James has extensive expertise in the pharma, manufacturing, food and drink, and logistics industries (both in the UK and internationally), regularly advising clients on structuring commercial arrangements across customer, supplier, and partner relationships. Notably, James has acted for Jet2 in relation to its retail supply chain, Marshalls on logistics agreements, and Lucozade Ribena Suntory on key supplier relationships.

Experience

Evri: advising on international network arrangements.

Lucozade Ribena Suntory: key customer and supply contracts.

Collaborating with Marshalls, Premier Foods, British Steel, and Menzies on key commercial and supply chain matters.

Jet2: restructuring of supply chain for in-flight retail.

Menzies Distribution: Advised on the sale of Menzies Express and newstrade operation to InPost UK. The transaction follows advising on the exclusive logistics partnership launched in 2023 when InPost became a minority shareholder in the business.

Renew Holdings: Advising Renew Holdings Plc on three significant transactions in five months; the acquisition of Excalon Ltd, supporting Renew' expansion into the electricity and distribution market; Renew's acquisition of Full Circle and its entry into the on-shore wind service market and expansion into Europe and the sale of its last non-core construction and building services business, Walter Lilly &Co

James is an excellent practitioner, technically astute and very practical, and considers life beyond the contract negotiation.

James is an excellent partner with great knowledge in our field.

James provides great support and guidance to junior members of his team.

James is a commercial contracts wizard and comes solution-focused. He never overlooks the detail but is brilliant at summarising complex commercial scenarios to help clients understand the risks.

James is an extremely reliable and technically strong, commercial contracts lawyer. He is very pragmatic and extremely easy to deal with, for both lawyer and non-lawyer clients alike. He is a skilled draftsman and can apply his knowledge and skills to almost any situation. He has one of the best negotiating styles I have ever come across; firm, yet with a natural ability to find a conciliatory way through difficulties when required. As a commercial contracts lawyer, he would be my “go to” wherever he is.

Insights

Comment & Opinion

Manufacturing Horizon Scanner: October 2025

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Comment & Opinion

Manufacturing Horizon Scanner: July 2025

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Comment & Opinion

Legal Horizon – May/June 2025

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