Expertise

James is recognised for his work in high value civil litigation with an emphasis on insolvency, fraud and contentious trusts cases and regularly advises officeholders, institutional clients and regulated entities. He regularly appears as sole counsel and junior counsel before the Supreme Court of Gibraltar.

In recent years, James has taken a leading role within the firm advising Liquidators in large multijurisdictional insurance insolvencies, often complicated by fraud. Within this context he advises on general aspects of insolvency law as well as advising on potential claims against officers of the company, auditors and third parties. He has also appeared on behalf of both professional trustees and beneficiaries in a wide range of applications before the Supreme Court of Gibraltar.

James also has an extensive practice in non-contentious financial services matters where he regularly advises banking and other financial institutions on regulatory and contractual matters.

What is James up to these days

Recent work highlights include:

• Hill Insurance Company (in Liquidation) –v- KPMG [2016] – acting for the liquidator in a claim concerning the alleged negligent auditing of insurance company.
• Marrache & Co (a firm acting by its liquidators) [ 2016] - acting for a bank in a claim concerning alleged dishonest assistance.
• Hill Insurance (in Liquidation): - Comples multi-million pound collapse of an insurance firm as a result of fraud.
• Lemma Europe Insurance Compamy (in Liquidation): - Collapse of a muti-jurisdictional insurance company.
  

• Chevron -v- Amazonia & Ors [2015]: –acted as Junior Counsel in a multi-billion dollar fraud claim
• Trigor One Limited [2014]:- one of the first times a regulated Fund was placed under Administration under the Financial Services (Collective Investment Schemes) Act 2005; acted as junior Counsel  for the Financial Services Commission.
•  Dr Giraldi Home Inquiry [2013]: – acted as Junior Counsel for the Royal Gibraltar Police
• Secretary of State for Defence –v- Alvarado [2013] Civil Appeal 9: acted as Junior Counsel for the Secretary of State for Defence
• Faissal –v- Vizcaya Partners [2012] – acted as Junior Counsel in Madoff related litigation requiring enforcement of a foreign judgment
• Additionally, James recently managed the transfer/sale of assets of a branch of a Swiss private bank to another banking entity in Gibraltar and played a key role in the drafting of operational and consumer documents for the establishment of a new banking entity.
•  Articles and publications
• Group insolvency, consolidation of debt and directors duties and liabilities in Gibraltar (Practical Law International Insolvency Global Guide 2015/16)
• Litigation and Enforcement in Gibraltar (Practical Law Dispute Resolution Global Guide 2015/16)