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About
Provided by James Cutress KC
Practice Areas
James Cutress KC is a leading commercial advocate, described as “immensely effective in court”, “brilliant on tactics” and “excellent at cutting to the chase”.
He regularly acts both before the courts and in international arbitrations. His cases are typically heavy and complex commercial disputes which are international in nature and often raise jurisdictional and conflict of law issues.
Described as a “Rolls-Royce of a barrister”, James’ expertise spans a number of fields, including Commercial Litigation, International Commercial Arbitration, Banking & Finance, Financial Services, Insurance, Aviation, Travel and Professional Negligence. He has particular expertise in disputes arising out of financings and financing structures, commercial contracts, aviation, insurance, acquisitions/business sales, energy, fraud, sanctions and professional liability and discipline.
James is co-Author of Thanki’s The Law of Privilege (3rd edition) and gives specialist and expert advice in relation to privilege issues and disputes. He has also sat on the Bar Standard Board professional complaints committee (now Independent Decision Making Body) for a number of years. In addition, James provides expert evidence on English law to foreign courts.
Career
Called 2000. Silk 2018.
Personal
Oxford University, 1997 BA Law (First class degree, coming first in his year in Law in the University), 1998 BCL (Distinction); Inns of Court School of Law (second in year); Harvard University, 1999 LLM (Kennedy Scholar).
Hockey (Blue 1997, 1998), squash.
Chambers Review
UK Bar
James Cutress KC is an accomplished practitioner whose diverse caseload sees him appearing in intricate cases relating to leasing, damages and financing disputes. His matters are often international in scope.
James Cutress KC upholds a wide-ranging commercial practice. He is involved in a considerable range of insurance and reinsurance disputes, including Bermuda Form arbitrations. He is further experienced in trade credit and product liability insurance disputes.
James Cutress KC is a well-regarded silk experienced in handling a broad range of complex and high-value banking and financial matters, as well as wider insurance and general commercial disputes. His banking cases include many cross-border disputes and arbitrations. He has also acted in a series of high-profile and well-documented interest rate swap mis-selling cases.
James Cutress KC is renowned for the strength of his arbitration practice, which covers such areas as aviation, finance and reinsurance. He has experience in handling matters under ARIAS and LCIA rules, and he has handled arbitrations in several jurisdictions including those in Africa, Europe and Asia.
James Cutress KC brings his expertise in insurance and financial services to bear in professional negligence cases, being renowned for claims involving banks and financial advisers in addition to highly topical issues in the construction industry.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"James Cutress is brilliant with clients. He really rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck in with instructing solicitors. He also brings a wonderful commercial touch to his cases."
"James is very responsive and strategic. He slices through large amounts of disparate information with his razor sharp intellect and comes up with clear commercial solutions."
"James digests complex information easily and advises on seemingly impenetrable issues."
"James is sharp-witted, quick on his feet and always very well prepared."
"James is a very safe pair of hands and he is good on his feet."
"James is brilliant on paper and an all-round fantastic barrister. He's a brain on a stick."
"James is technically superb and produces clear advice."
"He is very sensible. He produces good advice in terms of distilling issues down to the understandable."
"James is a thorough and calm advocate. He has great knowledge and attention to detail, making for effective advocacy in a commercial context."
"James Cutress KC combines legal acumen with an ability to swiftly distil and present the core issues to the court. His advocacy is polished and persuasive."
"James is incredibly clever and brilliant to work with."
"James Cutress is brilliant with clients. He really rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck in with instructing solicitors. He also brings a wonderful commercial touch to his cases."
"James is very responsive and strategic. He slices through large amounts of disparate information with his razor sharp intellect and comes up with clear commercial solutions."
"James digests complex information easily and advises on seemingly impenetrable issues."
"James is sharp-witted, quick on his feet and always very well prepared."
"James is a very safe pair of hands and he is good on his feet."
"James is brilliant on paper and an all-round fantastic barrister. He's a brain on a stick."
"James is technically superb and produces clear advice."
"He is very sensible. He produces good advice in terms of distilling issues down to the understandable."
"James is a thorough and calm advocate. He has great knowledge and attention to detail, making for effective advocacy in a commercial context."
"James Cutress KC combines legal acumen with an ability to swiftly distil and present the core issues to the court. His advocacy is polished and persuasive."
"James is incredibly clever and brilliant to work with."