James Davies has a civil practice with a particular emphasis on commercial and property matters. James is involved in cases from initial advice, both in conference and in writing, drafting pleadings and through to trial. He appears regularly in the County Court on interlocutory applications and small claims as well as fast track and multi-track trials. He also represents clients in mediations. He is a member of the Commercial Group and the Property and Chancery Group.

Before coming to the Bar, James qualified as a Chartered Accountant. His professional practice included the audit of family owned companies (in particular construction businesses), and associated corporation tax work, and professional partnerships, including Solicitors’ Accounts Reports. James continues to remain up to date with industry developments.

James’s commercial practice includes sales of goods, debt recovery, commercial contract disputes and insolvency matters.  The cases frequently involve financial complexity. There is also a growing element of construction work where James is able to build on his previous experience in accountancy. The property work James undertakes includes landlord and tenant disputes, nuisance, boundary disputes and trespass.

James has a specialized criminal practice, prosecuting for a number of Local Authorities for benefit fraud and offences under the Housing Act. He appears in the Magistrates and Crown Courts. He also appears at inquests.

James is a lecturer at Hertford College, University of Oxford where he teaches tort to undergraduates and postgraduates. James has recently delivered lectures to groups of solicitors on the new Part 36 regime and distress for rent and Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery. James also contributed to the Bar Council response to the DCA Consultation Paper “The Law on Damages”. The Bar Council team was led by one of our then Heads of Chambers Tim Lamb QC (now His Honour Judge Tim Lamb QC).

In his free time James is a member of CAMRA, enjoys walking and DIY, although the last is more by necessity than choice.