James has a broad corporate practice, advising on public and private M&A activity, joint ventures, equity capital market and private fundraising transactions across the world. He also has particular expertise in advising large listed and private companies on corporate governance, risk management and other general strategic advisory matters.
James has a particular focus in the Tech sector, and is co-head of our cross-practice Technology Group. He advises Tech clients of all sizes, from start-ups through to late-stage growth companies and large listed Tech companies.
James has been recognised in Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner, with client testimonials noting he “showed extreme versatility, and demonstrated full command over every nuanced detail; he was always responsive and on the ball” and describing him as “highly relatable but a clear thinker with quiet confidence”.
Tech Sector Highlights
- CPPIB and Equinix on their $4bn joint acquisition of atNorth from Partners Group
- Vodafone on various transactions including the €8bn disposal of Vodafone Italy, the €5bn disposal of Vodafone Spain and its €18.4 billion acquisition of Liberty Global’s business in Germany and certain CEE countries
- Spotify on its acquisition of WhoSampled
- Equinix on various transactions, including its expansion into Africa through the $320m acquisition of MainOne, its transformational £2.35bn acquisition of Telecity, the $874.4m sale of eight European assets to Digital Realty, the acquisition of its LD8 data centre and its $93m acquisition of Zenium’s data centre business in Istanbul
- Credit Karma, one of the world’s highest valued fintech companies, on its first move into Europe with its acquisition of Noddle, an online consumer credit scoring service
- Softcat on its acquisition of Oakland Group Services
- Inflexion on the proposed £430m acquisition of Marlowe plc’s Governance, Risk & Compliance software and services assets
- A leading data centre investment fund on various acquisitions and potential transactions in Germany, France, Switzerland and Scandinavia
- A number of major payment services providers across the UK and Europe
- A leading online travel platform on various matters
- Various early-stage growth clients on fundraisings, including Sidequest on its Series A fundraising led by Google Ventures
Public and Private Company Experience
- Schroders on various matters including its £9.9bn proposed combination with Nuveen, the re-establishment of full ownership of Cazenove Capital and disposal of its stake in Schroders Personal Wealth, the acquisition of an initial 75% shareholding in Greencoat Capital, the simplification of its dual class share structure and various other corporate governance and advisory matters
- Reckitt on the $4.8bn carve-out divestment of its Essential Home business to Advent International, the $2.2bn carve-out sale its Infant Formula and Child Nutrition business in China to Primavera, its £1.6bn shareholder return by special dividend, its share buyback programmes and various other corporate governance and advisory matters
- Vodafone on the transactions listed above and various corporate governance and advisory matters
- RSA on its £7.2bn acquisition by Intact and Tryg
- Mediclinic International on its acquisition by Remgro and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company
- Homeserve on its £4.1bn acquisition by Brookfield Infrastructure
- Rolls Royce on its £5bn recapitalisation plan, including its £2bn rights issue
- Videndum on its £85m equity capital raising in 2026 and its £125 million equity capital raising in 2023
- The Restaurant Group on its £57m equity placing
- Kelsian on its possible offer for Go-Ahead Group
- John Lewis Partnership on various governance and advisory matters