James specialises in all areas of commercial litigation with a particular emphasis on commercial disputes, insolvency, property and professional negligence.
 
Recent highlights include representing the administrator in the high profile A1 Grand Prix insolvency, a well-known football club in a multi-million pound banking claim, a shareholder in a company dispute over a leading celebrity chef owned London restaurant, a lender in a professional liability claim arising out of Channel 4’s Brookside housing estate, and a defendant in a Liechtenstein trust fraud trial. As well as the above, James has appeared in numerous well known and reported cases and is a highly regarded senior junior within the Chancery and Commercial Bar.

The Directories

Clients see him as possessing "everything you want in a senior junior"  noting that while "he seems quiet and unassuming, he proves to be an absolute genius at whatever he turns his hand to"

(Chambers UK 2013)

He is "absolutely unflappable and so talented"

(Chambers UK 2013)

James Pickering provides "excellent, commercially strategic" advice

(legal 500, 2012)

James Pickering is a popular choice for his "gentle but persuasive manner."  His practice is a mixture of commercial, contractual and insolvency litigation, with many of his cases having a delinquency of directors or professional negligence element to them.

(Chambers & Partners 2012)

James Pickering is a "hands-on, practical and brilliant orator," and a "very effective cross-examiner." 

(Legal 500 2011)

James Pickering is "cool, calm and collected" and "bright as a button"  (Chambers & Partners 2011)

The "unruffled and responsible" James Pickering is "the calm in the eye of the storm" say commentators; "when things are urgent and chaotic, he can bring everything together and marshal a case very quickly." 

(Chambers & Partners 2009)

Rising star James Pickering is lauded for being "urbane, methodical and very client-friendly."

(Chambers & Partners 2008)

Notable Cases

Langstone Leisure Ltd v Wacks Caller & Pannone LLP [2012] EWHC 170
Cherry Tree Investments Ltd v Landmain Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 33
Osteopathic Education & Research Ltd v NCS Management Ltd [2010] EWHC 1801 (QB)
Arla Foods UK Plc -v- Barnes [2008] EWHC 2851 (Ch)
EPIS Services Ltd v HM Revenue & Customs [2007] EWHC 3534 (Ch)
Finlan & Queenswood Ltd v EMW & Grant Thornton [2007] 4 All ER 143, [2007] EWHC 914 (Ch)
Khetani v Kanbi [2006] EWCA Civ 1621 (CA)
Green v Gaul [2006] EWCA Civ 1124 (CA)
Re Loftus Deceased [2005] 1 WLR 1890, [2005] 2 All ER 700, The Times, 28.3.05, [2005] EWHC 406
Virani -v- Manuel Revert  [2003] EWCA Civ 1651 (CA)
Re Smiths of Smithfields Ltd  [2003] EWHC 568 (Ch)
Midland Industries -v- Gonvarri Industrial [2003] EWHC 144 (Comm)
Mahme Trust Reg & Mahmoud Shaker Al Abood -v- Tayeb [2002] EWHC 1543 (Ch)
Nathan -v- Leonard [2003] 1 WLR 827 [2002], EWHC 1701 (Ch)
Chellaram -v- Chellaram [2002] 3 All ER 17, [2002] EWHC 632 (Ch)
Gandhi -v- Patel [2002] 1 FLR 603
Petersson -v- Pitt Place Ltd [2002] HLR 52, (2001), L&TR 21, (2001) 6 EG 160, [2001] EWCA Civ 86
Lowsley v Forbes [1999] AC 329 (HL)

Publications

Enterprise Chambers’ Annotated Guide to Insolvency Legislation (Sweet & Maxwell)
Landlord & Tenant Factbook (Butterworths)
Corporate Counsel (New York)
The Lawyer (London)
Estate Gazettes (London)

Areas of Emphasis

Insolvency and Company

Commercial and Chancery

Property including Landlord and Tenant

Professional Negligence

Career & Associations

University of Southampton

Inns of Court School of Law (Outstanding)

Called to the Bar (Middle Temple) 1991

Joined Enterprise Chambers in 1992

Harmsworth Law Scholarship

JJ Powell Prize

Member of the Chancery Bar Association

Member of the Property Bar Association