Stephen James
UK Guide 2025
Band 1 : Construction
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
0118 960 4674Share profile
Band 1
About
Provided by Stephen James
Practice Areas
Stephen is partner in the construction team, advising on a broad range of disputes.
With over 20 years’ experience 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.
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.
Chambers Review
UK
Stephen James acts on both contentious and non-contentious mandates for a range of developers, architects, contractors and employers. He is able to handle the full range of transactional contractual matters, alongside professional appointments and amendments. He is equally adroit at handling complex construction disputes, with a focus on back-end matters such as final account claims and defect issues.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Stephen's communication is great. He is a pleasure to work with."
"I would happily call upon Stephen's advice, support and guidance again on legal matters."
"Stephen's communication is great. He is a pleasure to work with."
"I would happily call upon Stephen's advice, support and guidance again on legal matters."
Articles, highlights and press releases
2 items provided by Clarkslegal LLP
UK housebuilders investigated over suspected exchanges of anti-competitive information
In 2022 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was called upon by the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to conduct a study into the housebuilding sector and provide recommendations on how the sector can operate as efficiently as possible.
What to look out for in construction in 2024
Following the introduction of the BSA we have yet to see a court judgment that deals with a Building Liability Order or Information Order, which were introduced under sections 130 and 132 of the Act.
UK housebuilders investigated over suspected exchanges of anti-competitive information
In 2022 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was called upon by the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to conduct a study into the housebuilding sector and provide recommendations on how the sector can operate as efficiently as possible.
What to look out for in construction in 2024
Following the introduction of the BSA we have yet to see a court judgment that deals with a Building Liability Order or Information Order, which were introduced under sections 130 and 132 of the Act.