James Healy-Pratt > Keystone Law > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Keystone Law Offices
48 CHANCERY LANE
LONDON
WC2A 1JF
England
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James Healy-Pratt
Work Department
Aviation
Position
James is an international aviation lawyer, with 30 years’ experience of resolving high-profile aviation accidents worldwide. He is a triple-qualified lawyer in England & Wales, Ireland and New York and is a licensed helicopter pilot.
James has unrivalled experience and understanding of the aviation insurance market based on his 15 years of working at its heart in London. He has represented families and pilots/crew, as well as aviation insurers in aviation accidents on six continents (including even Antarctica and Hawaii). Airline, helicopter and business jet accidents are his particular expertise, as are catastrophic / burns-related and high-net-worth injuries. He has a track record of achieving swift settlements at record levels.
James sits part-time as HM Coroner in Sussex, hearing a wide range of Inquests, often of a complex nature and with juries. He is also an accredited mediator and arbitrator with the Royal Aeronautical Society and JAMS (US Judicial and Arbitration Mediation Services).
In addition, James has extensive first-hand knowledge of the following: Helicopters – Agusta 109, Airbus 120, 125, 130, MD 500/600/900 (Notar), Bell 206, Leonardo AW 139, Robinson R22/44; Fixed Wing – Airbus A310, A320 & A330, Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767 & 777, Cessna 172, 205, 208, Hawker Hunter T7 (Jet Fighter), Extra 300 (Aerobatic), Tiger Moth.
Career
James qualified as a barrister in 1991, a New York Attorney in 1998 and a solicitor in 2006. He was admitted to the Irish Law Society in 2018. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2021, he worked at Stewarts Law, Amlin plc and Global Aerospace. He sits part-time as HM Coroner in Sussex on a wide range of complex jury inquests.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Transport > Travel
(Hall of Fame)Keystone Law‘s team is adept at advising on commercial and regulatory matters, including high-value cases relating to the aviation and charter sectors of transport. In aviation, which is James Healy-Pratt‘s area of specialism, the team advises on corporate and employment-related issues, as well as consumer litigation. Its charter-related work ranges from assisting in issues with cargo vehicles, to advising on claims against charter employers. Trevor Sears – a highly experienced consultant solicitor and specialist in dispute resolution, travel, aviation and insolvency – is a further key name to note.
London > Transport > Aviation
Keystone Law acts on instructions from airlines, airports, lessors and more, advising them on UK and EU competition and state aid rules in addition to IATA regulations, M&A, joint ventures and a range of other commercial agreements and financing arrangements. The firm also advises a number of start-up clients providing goods and services to the aviation sector. Key contacts include James Healy-Pratt, an insurance and accident specialist, and Owen Hanna, who represents the victims of air accidents and their families in personal injury claims. Alex Ferrari acts for airlines and other operators in insurance disputes.
London > Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
Keystone Law is well-placed to handle all manner of contentious insurance and reinsurance matters – particularly across the marine, life sciences and aviation sectors – with coverage disputes being a particular strong point. The practice continued to grow in partner-level expertise with the addition of Ruth Hite from Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, who comes equipped with a strong UK and EU regulatory background. James Crabtree and Jason Kallis are among the key names to note, with other recommended individuals including James Healy-Pratt, Antony Colman and Elaine Chan.
London > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
Litigating on behalf of both SMEs and global organisations, Keystone Law has a mouth-watering court success rate in the UK. Within the firm’s lawyer ranks, Alex Ferrari is ‘a top-notch litigator‘; James Healy-Pratt acts in relation to aviation accidents; Matthew Hennessy-Gibbs assists with commercial disputes, contentious insolvency-related claims, and fraud cases; Louise Abbott specialises in civil fraud, cryptocurrency and asset recovery work; and Elaine Chan is ‘a very senior, effective solicitor‘. Also key to the firm’s litigation credentials, Lara Robson represents both high-net-worth (HNW) individuals and companies in disputes; Patrick Elliott is a corporate recovery and insolvency expert; Gagan Ranu focuses on India and Middle East-related disputes; Patrick Pennal has a wide-ranging international litigation practice; and Dharmendra Nair specialises in shipping, commodities and commercial litigation. In 2022, Tracy Sell-Peters joined as partner from DWF, while former partners Matthew Reach and Robert Lawrie departed for Fox Williams LLP and Grosvenor Law, respectively.
Lawyer Rankings
- Commercial litigation: mid-market London > Dispute resolution
- Hall of Fame London > Transport > Travel
- Travel London > Transport
- Aviation London > Transport
- Insurance and reinsurance litigation London > Insurance
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
- Employment > Employees/unions
- Finance > Transport finance and leasing
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Corporate and commercial > International business reorganisations
- Private client > Court of protection
- Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Licensing
- Public sector > Healthcare
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Real estate > Residential property
Firm Rankings
- Employment > Senior executives
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Gaming and betting
- Finance > Islamic finance
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Film & TV
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Music
- Insurance > Product liability: defendant
- Transport > Travel
- Private client > Art and cultural property
- Transport > Aviation
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers
- Private client > Family
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m
- Corporate and commercial > Partnership
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Insurance > Personal injury: defendant
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Transport > Shipping
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Employment > Employers
- Employment > Immigration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Real estate > Planning
- Real estate > Property litigation
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Reputation management
- Corporate and commercial > Venture capital
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Insurance > Clinical negligence: defendant
- Dispute resolution > Professional discipline
- Insurance > Insurance litigation: for policyholders
- Private client > Agriculture and estates