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Stephen James

Partner

Stephen James

Partner

“The construction lawyer, Stephen James, knows his stuff inside out. Very methodical and pragmatic in his working. Assimilates information very quickly and advises very well.”

The Legal 500

Stephen is partner in the construction team, advising on a broad range of disputes.

With over 20 years’ experience and ranked band 1 in Chambers and Partners 2023, Stephen is able to minimise legal risk in a way that is cost-effective and is frequently recognised as a leading lawyer by legal guides, including Chambers and Legal 500.

Stephen is Secretary of Constructing Excellence Berkshire.

Experience

Construction

If a problem arises on a construction project, Stephen can help you resolve it. His expertise covers a wide range of disputes from interim and final accounts to extensions of time, defects and professional negligence.

Clients include employers, developers, architects, contractors and specialist subcontractors.  Stephen’s caseload spans adjudication references, arbitration, Part 7 and 8 litigation claims, mediation and expert determination.

Insolvency

Stephen is experienced in working with insolvency practitioners in all forms of insolvency procedures and a very wide range of applications. He also acts for individuals in bankruptcies and voluntary arrangements, as well as defending directors’ disqualification proceedings and wrongful trading claims.

Injunctions

Stephen has obtained and defended many injunctions, including the freezing of assets, preventing unlawful picketing, enforcing restrictive covenants and search orders.

General advisory

Stephen’s wide experience allows him to offer external and in-house training to clients on many construction related issues, as well as risk avoidance, directors’ duties and product liability.

What our clients say

“Stephen James is extremely knowledgeable about construction, and consistently gives excellent and practical advice. He has a well-developed following of developer and contractor clients, who like his approachability.”

Legal 500 2024

“Stephen James continues to provide excellent legal support on construction disputes.”

Chambers 2024

“Stephen is tactically good. He is punchy when it comes to negotiations and has a great commercial outlook.”

Chambers 2024

“The quality of Stephen James’ advice is highly rated because he knows what is needed to get a result.”

Chambers 2024

Read, listen and watch our latest insights

art
  • 07 April 2021
  • Construction

Does a construction contract require a final account mechanism?

The recent case of JSM Construction Limited v Western Power Distribution (West Midlands) plc considers whether construction contracts require a final account mechanism.

art
  • 23 February 2021
  • Construction

VAT reverse charge for construction services

Following the postponement of the VAT reverse charge commencement date in September 2019 and October 2020, HMRC guidance states that the VAT reverse charge on construction services will now come into force from 1 March 2021.

art
  • 09 February 2021
  • Construction

COVID-19 and its impact on JCT contracts

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the construction industry in the UK. Labour shortages and shortages of plant and materials have adversely affected many projects, which in turn has resulted in additional costs and delays.

art
  • 09 December 2020
  • Construction

NEC publishes new amendments to NEC4 suite

The NEC has published a second set of amendments to its NEC4 suite of contracts, reflecting user feedback from the industry and recent legal development. The October 2020 amendments can be found on the NEC site.

Pub
  • 08 October 2020
  • Construction

Managing Cashflow in a Crisis

Maintaining cashflow in the construction industry is now more important than ever. Watch our construction specialists Stephen James and Ruth Wilkinson, as they consider the key issues and how best to navigate them.

art
  • 30 September 2020
  • Construction

How do I prove my final account claim?

Many construction disputes relate to the calculation of the final account. Sometimes there may be an interesting point of law or expert evidence at stake. More often than not, the dispute will boil down to proving what work was done and / or what was the agreed price for the work.