James McClelland KC > Brick Court Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Brick Court Chambers Offices
7-8 ESSEX STREET
LONDON
WC2R 3LD
England
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James McClelland KC
Work Department
Member of Chambers
Position
James has a wide-ranging practice specialising in commercial, public and regulatory law. He is ranked as a leading practitioner in 6 practice areas: (i) Administrative and Public Law; (ii) Banking & Finance; (iii) Commercial Disputes; (iv) Energy; (v) Financial Services Regulation; and (vi), Professional Discipline & Regulation.
James’s cases frequently straddle more than one of these practice areas and he has been recognised as “particularly strong at the intersection of commercial law and public law” (Legal 500) and “one of the few people that has cross-over between banking, regulatory and public law” (Chambers and Partners). He is often sought out for cases raising complex points of law (in particular statutory construction) including in fields previously outside his core areas of practice (such as insolvency, pensions, tax and agriculture).
Career
Call: 2004
Silk: 2021
Languages
French
Education
- MA, Cambridge University (Eng. Lit) – Starred Double First (double first, including top starred first in the University)
- CPE, City University – Distinction (second highest in the University)
- BCL, Oxford University – Distinction
- BVC, Inns of Court School of Law – Outstanding
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Professional disciplinary and regulatory law
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4James McClelland KC –Brick Court Chambers ‘James is a team player. Very hardworking, positive and collaborative.’
At Brick Court Chambers, James McClelland KC has longstanding expertise in the space, with an excellent track record in acting for and against regulators, and has particular strength in handling instructions from the legal and financial spheres. Tony Singla KC regularly acts for major accountancy firms in disciplinary cases heard before the Financial Reporting Council. Tom Adam KC has an excellent track record in handling matters involving the Big Four accountants, and the ‘excellent‘ Simon Salzedo KC counts solicitors’ disciplinary work as a key area of instruction. Sarah Bousfield is adept at handling a broad spectrum of regulatory matters, including cases involving allegations of dishonesty and fraud.
London Bar > Energy
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3James McClelland KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘James is extremely clever, rigorous and thorough. A phenomenally good barrister with an outstanding mind and judgement.’
London Bar > Administrative law and human rights
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4James McClelland KC –Brick Court Chambers ‘An incisive thinker.’
At Brick Court Chambers acts on a range of public law matters, straddling work for both humanitarian and business claimants, as well as some public bodies. James McClelland KC represented a Yemeni human rights group in R (CAAT) v Secretary of State for Trade, part of the ongoing litigation seeking to challenge the British government’s sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, which operated a military intervention in Yemen from 2015 until a ceasefire in 2022. Paul Bowen KC and Tim Johnston successfully represented Maples and Calder in a judicial review in the Cayman Islands over the interpretation of the jurisdiction’s 2020 Anti-Money Laundering Rules.
London Bar > Banking and finance (including consumer credit)
Members of Brick Court Chambers continue to be instructed in significant banking and finance cases, concerning a broad spectrum of national and international lending. Tim Lord KC is sought after by both investors and banks in high profile banking and finance litigation – he is instructed for the claimants in Loreley Financing v Credit Suisse, a case concerning the allegedly negligent sale and structuring by Credit Suisse of residential mortgage-backed securities. James McClelland KC is an established silk who has taken the lead in leading commercial disputes, having been involved in test cases for PPI mis-selling – he also handles cases involving heavyweight public law issues. Ben Woolgar is noted for his practice handling both commercial banking, including complex bond and note transactions, and retail banking.
London Bar > Commercial litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 6James McClelland KC –Brick Court Chambers ‘An extremely clever, thoughtful and eloquent silk.’
London Bar > Financial services regulation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3James McClelland KC – Brick Court Chambers ‘A phenomenally good barrister with an outstanding mind and judgement.’