Senior Practice Manager
Practice Manager
Assistant Practice Manager
James Fennemore specialises in commercial and private client litigation.
His practice encompasses commercial disputes, civil fraud, art and cultural property, banking and financial services, company disputes, insolvency, trust disputes, and will and estates disputes.
He is recommended in Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Chambers High Net Worth, where he is described as “hugely clever, hugely personable, and brilliant at presenting a case in a way that a judge can easily grasp and be persuaded by”, and “very much one to watch”, identifying his “excellent legal knowledge and manner with clients” and “great attention to detail”.
James is experienced in acting as sole counsel in cases across his areas of specialism, and regularly appears in court, both at interim hearings and at trial. James also very frequently acts as part of a counsel team in substantial and complex disputes. Many of his cases involve working with lawyers and clients from other jurisdictions, in matters involving international and conflict of laws elements. He has particular recent experience of disputes taking place in Guernsey, Jersey, The Bahamas, Bermuda, and Hong Kong.
Litigation is expensive, and James is concerned that high quality legal representation should not be the preserve of the wealthy alone. James acts for a wide variety of clients, of diverse types and diverse means. Where appropriate, he is willing to act pro bono or under conditional fee agreements for individuals or small businesses with limited financial resources. If you would like to explore this, please contact James’s clerks.
James has rapidly developed a specialism in art and cultural property matters. He is recommended by the The Legal 500 as a “Rising Star” in this area, where he is described as “very much one to watch” and “hugely clever, hugely personable, and brilliant at presenting a case in a way that a judge can easily grasp and be persuaded by“.
James’s work in this area has included cases concerning ownership disputes, auctions, fraud, and commission and agency agreements.
Notable cases include:
James has a range of experience acting for investors, finance professionals, and regulated entities in relation to disputes concerning financial services. His cases have included group claims brought under section 90 and 90A of FSMA, mis-selling claims, claims concerning alleged negligent investment advice, and cases requiring detailed consideration of the COBS rules and FSMA regime. His experience includes:
Civil fraud work is a core part of James’s practice. He has detailed experience in this area from the early stages of proceedings through to trial. He has experience of acting at hearings both seeking and resisting freezing and proprietary injunctions, and obtaining interim orders such as Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust orders to obtain information about a fraud before substantive proceedings have begun.
Recent instructions include:
Commercial disputes are one of James’s core practice areas. As well as advising and acting in contractual disputes for businesses and HNW individuals of all shapes and sizes in a very wide variety of sectors, James is very frequently instructed on cases which overlap with other areas of his commercial chancery practice, including cases involving issues of company law, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and insolvency.
James’s work includes:
James is regularly instructed in respect of disputes involving issues of company law. His experience includes claims for breaches of directors’ duties, derivative claims, unfair prejudice petitions, and winding up petitions on the just and equitable ground.
James also very frequently acts in cases concerning companies that form part of trust structures.
Recent cases include:
James regularly appears in the High Court and County Court in both corporate and personal insolvency proceedings. He frequently acts for petitioners, debtors, and supporting creditors on bankruptcy and winding up petitions and at other related insolvency hearings, including applications to set aside statutory demands and applications for injunctions to restrain the presentation of a winding up petition.
James also regularly advises on insolvency proceedings and disputes arising under the Insolvency Act 1986, including, for example, void dispositions of property under section 127 of the Act, the antecedent transaction provisions at sections 238-245 of the Act, and claims under section 423 of the Act for transactions defrauding creditors.
James’s cases often involve a real property dimension. He has particular experience of:
Trusts and estates disputes are a core part of James’s practice.
James is recommended as a leading junior for traditional chancery work in Chambers and Partners HNW, Chambers and Partners UK Bar, and The Legal 500.
James is frequently instructed as sole counsel on domestic cases of a variety of sizes. He also has substantial experience working as part of a larger international team, assisting foreign lawyers in litigation in other jurisdictions.
His experience spans claims for the removal of trustees and personal representatives; claims for breach of trust; applications for accounts and the provision of trust information; claims under Part 64 (and its equivalent in foreign jurisdictions) in respect of the administration of trusts, including Beddoe applications; contentious probate actions, involving allegations of undue influence, want of knowledge and approval, lack of testamentary capacity, and defective execution; claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975; disputes concerning trusts of land; proprietary estoppel claims; rescission and rectification claims.
James’s cases include:
Art and Cultural Property Law
Chambers and Partners
‘James is good in conference and has good people skills. He boils complicated law down and deciphers it for clients to understand so they know what we are trying to achieve.’ ‘Not only does he have a great legal mind and attention to detail, he is also very practical in his advice. He is excellent at distilling complex legal concepts into a readily understandable form.’‘James was always on hand to provide advice and assistance both to the client and to us as instructing solicitors.’ (2025)
Legal 500
‘James is extremely bright and knowledgeable on the law but also knows how to deliver his advice in a manner which is practical, commercial and readily understandable to clients.’ (2025)
‘Very much one to watch.’ ‘Hugely clever, hugely personable, and brilliant at presenting a case in a way that a judge can easily grasp and be persuaded by.’ (2023)
Private Client: Trust and Probate
Legal 500
‘James is a star in the making. He is very intelligent and able to come up with brilliant solutions.’ (2025)
Ranked as a rising star in (2024).
Chancery: Traditional
Chambers and Partners
‘James is fantastically clever and hard-working. I really enjoy working with him across the spectrum of cases.’ ‘He is one of the brightest lawyers that I have worked with. He produces really excellent written advocacy and is very sensible and pragmatic.’ ‘He is one of the up-and-coming barristers at the set. He is incredibly clever and is able to pick up complicated matters very quickly. A star of the future.’ (2025)
‘Personable and professional, James has excellent legal knowledge and a good manner with clients.’ (2024)
“Excellent legal knowledge and manner with clients” (Chambers High Net Worth 2023)
Offshore
Legal 500
‘James has a great attention to detail and impresses with his detailed knowledge of a case. His advice is always clear and to the point.’ (2025)
Fraud: Civil – London (Bar)
Chambers and Partners
‘James is a very good drafter and very analytical.’ ‘James is detail-oriented, responsive and everything you’d want in a junior.’ ‘He is very clear and concise. He has an otherworldly cleverness and eye for detail.’ (2025)
