Mr James Howells KC KC > Atkin Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Atkin Chambers Offices
1, Atkin Building, Gray's Inn
LONDON
WC1R 5AT
England
- Set Profile
- Go to...
Mr James Howells KC KC
Position
James specialises in infrastructure, construction, energy and IT disputes both domestic and international. James regularly appears as an advocate in the English Courts and in international arbitration in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. He has extensive experience of arbitration under all major institutional rules and in ad hoc references. James is regularly instructed in other forms of dispute resolution.
James’ experience of domestic and international infrastructure projects has included metro and heavy rail, roads, and airports across the globe.
Experience of energy disputes has included numerous claims relating to the design, construction of oil and gas production platforms and rigs and their commercial operation including onshore and offshore (including UDW) drilling. Numerous shipbuilding disputes have addressed some of the largest submersible/semi-submersible rigs in addition to the design and construction of drill ships and FPSOs. James has extensive experience of power-related disputes ranging from thermal and nuclear plants to waste-to-energy and renewable energy sources including wind, wave, hydro, solar and biomass production. IT experience includes commercial and technical disputes in respect of projects ranging from financial services/banking, commodities trading and commercial business systems to major government IT infrastructure and services outsourcing projects.
Publications
Contributing Editor: ‘Hudson’s Building and Engineering Contracts’ 12th to 14th editions.
Career
MA (Cantab), BCL (Oxon). Silk 2014.
Languages
French.
Memberships
TECBAR, LCLCBA, COMBAR, SCL, Society for Computers and Law.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Construction
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4James Howells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘A superb all rounder. Good to work with and excellent with clients, matched with the legal acumen you would expect from a senior silk.’
London Bar > Professional negligence
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3London Bar > International arbitration: counsel
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2James Howells KC –Atkin Chambers ‘Always calm and easily creates a rapport with the tribunal. He is able to easily and fluently change tack or approach as matters develop in the course of a trial. He is able to master foreign legal concepts quickly and debate these concepts with senior tribunal members who are well versed in the foreign law in question.’
London Bar > Energy
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2James Howells KC –Atkin Chambers ‘James is extremely calm under pressure and always seems to have a solution to even the most intractable of problems.’
London Bar > IT and telecoms: projects and services
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2James Howells KC –Atkin Chambers ‘James is excellent at getting to the heart of a matter and giving straightforward, non-nonsense advice. He is also bold in his merits assessments and does not sit on the fence.’
Atkin Chambers provides a deep bench of IT expertise at both silk and junior level, with considerable experience advising on disputes centred around a broad range of issues, including alleged negligence, project management and procurement and implementation failures. James Howells KC and Patrick Clarke appeared on opposite sides of Capita v IBm UK v Kyndryl UK Ltd, a dispute concerning the proper construction of a complex IT services contract and the subcontracting of certain IT-related services. Clarke, who has a strong reputation for his ‘real depth of expertise and experience in IT disputes’, also acted for the US tech giant TII in respect of a claim relating to the supply and performance of telecoms connection hardware installed across the BT Openreach Network.
Regional International Arbitration – The Bar > Construction, energy and infrastructure
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3James Howells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘A precise, knowledgeable and informative barrister.’
Middle East: The English Bar > Construction
(Leading silks)Ranked: Tier 1James Howells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘Excellent technical understanding, strategic thinker, incredible at cross-examination.’