James Culverwell

James is an experienced commercial-chancery barrister with expertise in commercial litigation, property law and insolvency and company matters as well as construction disputes. James appears in all the civil courts at first instance and on appeal and often advises on complex cases crossing over a number of his practice areas. James normally appears as sole counsel but has also been led in several matters.

James has comprehensive oral advocacy skills having started his career with a common law practice. He is also accomplished at drafting concise and thorough pleadings and has been praised for his advisory work. Commended for his personable style putting clients at ease and engaging tribunals, James is known for his ability to simplify complex legal issues for clients, earning consistent praise for his clear communication and practical advice.

“All of your work has been extremely impressive; your advice has been just what we’ve been looking for on each occasion and the [documents] you have produced have been bang on our own style. It’s a pleasure working with you.” – Solicitor, E Ltd v T Ltd

“I’ve been very impressed with all of your advice, as have a number of Partners and Solicitors within our Dept. I am an advocate of giving praise when it’s due and my experiences with you have certainly led me to the conclusion it’s due.”- Solicitor, CE Ltd v MED Ltd & Q Ltd v H Ltd.

“I am delighted with the services provided by chambers and particularly that of James; there is no question that he went above and beyond. His diligence, efficiency and clear ability to sort wheat from chaff was invaluable and to top it all a thoroughly nice chap.” – H Ltd v TBDS, lay client

Qualifications

Bar Professional Training Course – Very Competent
LLB (Hons) – First Class

Memberships

Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
Chancery Bar Association
Property Bar Association
R3 Association of Business Recovery Professionals
Technology & Construction Bar Association (TECBAR)
Society of Construction Law
Financial Services Law Association

Interests

James is a keen skier and a follower of the Hampshire and England cricket teams, as well as Harlequins and England rugby teams. He is also an enthusiastic cook and enjoys good food and drink.

Commercial

James regularly advises, drafts pleadings, and attends hearings in general contractual disputes and issues of tortious liability. He has a wealth of experience in specialised matters such as civil fraud, asset purchase agreements, finance agreements, consumer credit agreements, telecommunications contracts, forex trading platforms, spread betting platforms, cryptocurrency and digital assets.

James leads Chambers’ Insolvency and Corporate Governance sub-group and has particular expertise in that area which can be viewed under that section below. James is also a member of Chambers’ Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets team and the Financial Derivatives & Spread Betting team having specialist knowledge and experience in both those areas.

Notable Cases

Special Metals Wiggin Ltd v Corrotherm International Ltd [2025] EWHC 2769 (TCC) – acting for a major stockist of specialist materials used in power, chemical, offshore and food production industries in a complex contractual and payment dispute with a manufacturer part of a global group of companies. The dispute involved allegations of defects, debts and repudiation of contracts. James advised from pre-action through to drafting pleadings and appearing in the TCC (due to its technical nature). James succeeded in resisting a number of aspects of a complicated summary judgment application.
L v F (2024) – providing extensive advisory and drafting work in a $130 million breach of directors’ duties and fraudulent and insolvent trading claim in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar. The claim involved two different companies with connections to over half a dozen different jurisdictions and events dating back almost fifteen years. James acted for the last remaining defendant director in this claim, being led by an external silk, and was heavily involved in the collation and production of witness evidence, disclosure and drafting applications including security for costs and permission for evidence to be given via video-link from a number of other offshore jurisdictions.
S v T Ltd (2024) – Led by David Mayall in a $4.3m cross-border dispute arising from a foreign exchange brokerage agreement being heard in the London Circuit Commercial Court. The case raised extremely complex issues of financial regulation, market manipulation, proprietary rights, and contractual interpretation as well as several procedural issues including disclosure in the Business & Property Courts under practice direction 57AD, injunctive relief and security for costs.

Recent Cases

A Ltd v F (2026) – successfully obtaining a freezing injunction following the discovery of a substantial fraud perpetrated by a former employee.
M Ltd v N Ltd (2026) – Obtaining judgment at trial in the High Court for the Claimant in dispute over unpaid storage charges. The case involved complex legal questions around contractual formation, termination and liens.
H Ltd v A (2026) – successfully obtaining a freezing injunction having advised a company involved in a joint venture for a mixed-use development in respect of shareholders responsibilities, breach of directors’ duties and fraudulent misrepresentation.
F Ltd v I (2026) – drafting pleadings and attending the strike out application at which the other party’s statement of case was struck out and their proposed amendments were also rejected followed by a substantial costs recovery.
HP v C Ltd (2026) – advising and drafting a defence in a substantial claim for allegedly unpaid salary, bonus and other benefits following the death of an employee.
M v D (2026) – representing the purchaser of a vintage Ferrari through to trial in a claim for misrepresentation and rescission.
B Ltd v N Ltd (2026) – advising a supplier of specialist machinery in a long-running contractual dispute with a customer involving contractual interpretation and allegations of misrepresentation.
C v D & Q Ltd (2025) – acting for an individual in respect of a succession of substantial loans made to another individual and his connected limited company over a number of years. Providing advice on complex issues of interpretation and limitation in respect of each loan as well as personal guarantees provided in respect of each. The case moved into the insolvency sphere and James advised and represented the client in those proceedings as well.
I v X Ltd (2024) – acting for a major spread-betting platform in a dispute with a former customer raising questions of breach of contract and discrimination in circumstances where the customer’s account was closed following concerning disclosures made and allegations that this caused the customer loss.
E Ltd v A Ltd (2024) – acting for a corporate entity in a large dispute with a connected entity over commissions for hotel and flight bookings. Attending for an application to amend the claim but dealing with a short notice oral application for summary disposal, and account and enquiry. Having been adjourned over the weekend, returning on short notice a few days later to deal with applications to amend on both sides as well as the application for an account and enquiry succeeding on the client’s applications and partially defeating the other applications.
T Ltd v C Ltd (2024) providing urgent advice to telecommunications supplier in respect of supply agreements, damages, limitation, and the commercial and tactical approach to take in separating from its own supplier.
E LLP v R Ltd (2024) – advising an international manufacturer of forestry plant and equipment in a dispute against a major global consultancy firm in a negligence and debt dispute worth just under £1 million.
W Ltd v I Ltd (2024) – providing extensive advice to an owner of a number of large caravan parks in its dispute with a manufacturer and supplier of caravans involving allegations of defective works and remedial works together with technical points of contractual interpretation.
E Ltd v U Ltd (2024) – advising a major company on its rights in respect of a contract to fund the development of a highly specialised and technical product which is central to the operation of the public transport industry.
T Ltd v S (2023) – advising and settling pleadings for a corporate agent in a claim for payment of commission pursuant to a contract giving rise to questions of contractual interpretation.
Re TD Ltd (2023) – advising a company on the interpretation of a share purchase agreement and the effect of the non-compete and non-solicitation clauses.
E Ltd v T Ltd (2023) – advising and drafting a letter before action for a telecommunications supplier arising from the breach of a non-solicitation clause and the subsequent reduction in services.
I plc v AL (2023) – succeeding in obtaining an order striking out an application to set aside judgment and having it marked totally without merit. The application gave rise to issues of insolvency and non-party costs orders.
C Ltd v C Ltd (2023) – providing detailed advice in relation to a telecommunications supply contract including the interpretation of the minimum term clause, enforceability of early termination charges and penalty clauses.
Re SP Ltd (2023) – drafting an application in relation to a company which had been voluntarily removed from the register of companies
MC Ltd v W Ltd (2023) – advising a telecommunications company in respect of an agreement with a technology company giving rise to interesting issues of contract formation, restraint of trade, competition law and the doctrine of protection of confidential information.