James Stewart > Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP Offices
125 WOOD STREET
LONDON
EC2V 7AW
England
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James Stewart
Work Department
Partner, Family department and joint head, Private Wealth sector.
Position
Described as a ‘guru of international family law’, James Stewart is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) and general editor of the definitive publication on comparative international family law, Family Law: A Global Guide (the ‘Blue Book’). James shines in difficult, often international, cases that need strategic vision, diligent execution and a motivated, able team.
With a focus on complex family disputes, marital agreements and cases with an international dimension, including claims for financial relief following overseas divorces (Part III), James has become the family lawyer of choice for family offices, trustees and others who find themselves embroiled in complex English divorce and family proceedings. A leading QC describes James as ‘undoubtedly one of the leaders in family law globally’.
In September 2020, James was appointed Visiting Professor of Law at Ulster University and also serves on the Consultation Board for Practical Law – Family. James continues to chair the annual Legal Dinner in aid of the leading peacebuilding charity, Co-operation Ireland.
Dual-qualified in England & Wales and Northern Ireland, James is also a family arbitrator and a collaborative family lawyer.
Career
Qualified 1990; solicitor Stephenson Harwood 1996-2000; partner and head of the family department RPC 2000-06; partner Penningtons Manches Cooper 2006 to date.
Publications: general editor ‘Family Law: A Global Guide’ (Thomas Reuters, fifth edition 2021); co-author Russian and Ukrainian chapters of ‘International Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements (Family Law 2011)’; general editor ‘Multi-Jurisdictional Guides – Family (Practical Law Company)’ 2013 to date.
Memberships
Fellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers; member of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb); chair Co-operation Ireland Legal Committee; member of the American Bar Association (ABA); Resolution-accredited specialist family lawyer.
Education
Coleraine Academical Institution, County Londonderry, Ireland; University of Essex (Law); College of Law, Chester.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Private client > Family
(Hall of Fame)Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP‘s family team is ‘amongst the strongest in London‘, led ‘extremely well‘ by Anna Worwood, ‘an international relocation expert’, and arbitrator and head of strategy for the team James Stewart
, who is ‘a first choice for cases involving prenuptial agreements or cross-border matters‘. A number of team members have specialist experience of international matters, including Anglo-US experienced Elizabeth Carson and Rebecca Carlyon, whose client base includes high-profile figures in entertainment, politics and finance. Jane Craig is particularly engaged in the law around cohabitees, and Linzi Bull is specialised in LGBTQ+ family issues including international surrogacy, and innovative use of pre-conception agreements. For complex financial matters, including those involving trust structures, family offices and offshore assets, Amanda Andrews is a go-to, while international child abduction work is regularly handled by Tammy Knox. In October 2024, the team was joined by Tom Amlot, Lucy Brown, and Kate Williams, all previously at AFP Bloom.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
- Private client > Family
- Private client > Family: mediation
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes
- Private client > Court of protection
- Employment > Employees/unions
- Employment > Immigration
- Employment > Immigration: human rights
- Employment > Immigration: personal
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m
- Insurance > Personal injury: claimant
- Transport > Travel
- Insurance > Clinical negligence: claimant
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Public sector > Education: institutions
- Public sector > Education: schools
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Reputation management
- Employment > Senior executives
- Transport > Shipping
- Finance > Trade finance
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant
- Insurance > Product liability: defendant
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Social housing: local authorities and registered providers
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Corporate and commercial > Venture capital
- Transport > Aviation
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Employment > Employers
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Real estate > Residential property
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech: corporate and commercial