James Breese

Practice Areas

James specialises in insurance disputes and exclusively advises and represents policyholders. He assists businesses and individuals from various sectors with their claims for indemnity from insurers. Clients range from public companies, private equity houses and multinational enterprises to high net worth individuals and directors of companies facing serious charges.

James has a particular focus on financial and commercial classes of insurance. These include representing directors and officers that face criminal, regulatory or civil claims and investigations, advising companies on warranty and indemnity claims when a purchase or sale of a company has gone wrong, claims concerning alleged financial crime, and cyber claims.

James has also spent a considerable amount of time in the last two years advising on business interruption claims following the loss of revenue/profit companies have suffered due to Covid-19, and has acted on some of the leading cases in the field.

James represented Stonegate Pub Company Limited in its £1.1bn claim for losses suffered due to Covid-19. This is the largest case of its kind in the insurance market and akin to a test case. Other key clients have included large and high-profile institutions and individuals within the financial markets.

James also has particular experience advising directors and officers on coverage of third-party claims and regulatory investigations, often involving the application of EU, UK and Office of Foreign Control (OFAC) sanctions to complex cross-jurisdictional proceedings.

Career

Adams Grammar School, Queen Mary: University of London, The College of Law, Moorgate (as it was).

Before joining Stewarts, James worked on the insurer side at Clyde & Co, and for the last four years, has acted exclusively for insureds at a boutique firm in the City.

Professional Memberships

British Insurance Law Association inc Young Professionals Group

London Young Lawyers Group

Cyber Insurance Association

London Solicitor Litigation Association

Publications

Multiple reviews available on PLC re Covid-19.

Top cases that helped shape the market, Insurance Age

Interview for Thomson Reuters on insurance regulation following Financial Conduct Authority test case.

Personal

James enjoys watching and participating in various sports, attending music festivals and concerts (of most genres), and walking his five-year-old French Bulldog, Walter. He is active and social so prefers to do anything but sit inside.