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.

Insolvency

Insolvency & Corporate Governance

James is an experienced insolvency and companies barrister who leads our Insolvency & Corporate Governance sub-group. He has appeared in the County Court and in the High Court in complex insolvency and companies matters representing individuals, companies, supervisors, trustees and liquidators. He is regularly instructed to act in disputed winding-up and bankruptcy petitions including interim hearings such as applications to restrain presentation of a petition and validation orders. James also advises debtors, creditors and Insolvency Practitioners on more complex issues pre-action such as failed IVAs and CVAs and statutory demands, and post-action during administration of bankruptcies and liquidations. In addition, he is very familiar with Companies Act claims such as preferences, wrongful trading, directors’ liability, derivative claims, and unfair prejudice petitions and all manner of shareholder disputes as well as the various other proceedings under the Insolvency Rules, Insolvency Act and Companies Act.

Notable Cases

AFP Assets Ltd v Hugill and Others [2025] EWHC 256 (Ch) – successfully appealed the decision of a District Judge to set aside statutory demands served upon a partnership and the partners and obtaining an order that the applications were dismissed and the respondents pay the costs of the appeal and below on the indemnity basis. The appeal court accepted all grounds of appeal and found, amongst other things, that the appellant was entitled to rely on facts which existed at termination of the agreement but had not been stated in the termination notice, and that the District Judge had erred in her interpretation of one of the clauses of the agreement.
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.

Recent Cases

Re B (2026) – securing the release from custody of a former director of a company which received £46 million from a company in liquidation and who failed to attend for examination and was arrested .
Re L (2026) – advising a director and shareholder in respect of an unfair prejudice petition alleging a number of breaches of duties and involving a complex debt restructuring mechanism alleged to have illegitimately diluted shareholdings.
Re B (2026) – successfully obtained bankruptcy orders against two debtors following a contest which raised questions of security, principles of valuation, the nature of debts, medical capacity and regulation of mortgages.
Re V Ltd (2026) – advising and drafting an unfair prejudice petition following the disappearance of a director and shareholder.
Re S Ltd (2025) – advising the liquidator of a building company in members voluntary liquidation on the merits of a claim in the liquidation made by the owner of a house built by the company which raised allegations of negligence giving rise to substantial defects with the property.
A v A (2025) – acting for a liquidator of a company which had become involved in divorce proceedings following the finding of a sham transaction and an order to set it aside. Providing urgent advice and representation in court in respect of a forthcoming account and enquiry after the company was put into voluntary liquidation and the liquidator was required to engage in those long-running proceedings in the family court with very little notice.
Re R & Re S (2024) – successfully deferring bankruptcy orders being made which were eventually avoided in respect of a husband and wife who owed a debt pursued by mortgagees following sale of secured property by LPA receivers. The case was connected to company supply an innovative medical AI diagnostic product which was the family’s main source of income and funding.
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 then evolved into an insolvency matter when two other creditors presented successive petitions and so advice on procedure and tactics were required in order to secure substitution as petitioning creditor.
Re S (2025) – representing a supporting and then petitioning creditor in long-running bankruptcy proceedings including advice on procedure and tactics and, after much delay, obtaining permission for substitution.
Re Q Ltd (2024) – acting in winding up proceedings in respect of the freeholder of a residential apartment building for a property manager appointed by the FTT (Property Chamber) with the benefit of an order against the freeholder to pay service charges. Successfully defeating an application to restrain advertisement of the petition by negotiating a full withdrawal together with full costs at the door of court.
Re Hall Media Group Ltd [2023] EWHC 3110 (Ch) – James acted for the petitioning creditor from the early stages of this contested petition and obtained the winding-up order following the final hearing and further written submissions. The case raised issues regarding the parties’ respective compliance with their obligations under the written contract as well as the nature of the sum owed to the petitioner. The Company’s allegation that the debt was genuinely disputed on substantial grounds was ultimately rejected.
Re S Ltd (2023) – James successfully obtained an injunction preventing the presentation of a petition and an order for indemnity costs having convinced the court that the debt was genuinely disputed and there was a genuine counterclaim.
Re H (2023) – successfully obtaining an order in favour of a creditor in a disputed bankruptcy petition against a sole trader arising from related vehicle finance agreements.
Re M (2023) – advising a creditor on issues including the nature and effect of a repayment agreement and attending the subsequent hearing.
Re I (2023) – advising and representing a creditor in a bankruptcy petition for a debt over £350,000 overcoming submissions by the debtor’s advocate in relation to substantial payments.