James Darbyshire – GC Powerlist
GC Powerlist Logo
United Kingdom 2025

Financials

James Darbyshire

Chief counsel | Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)

Download

United Kingdom 2025

legal500.com/gc-powerlist/

Recommended Individual

James Darbyshire

Chief counsel | Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)

Team size: 22

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

My involvement as (then) Head of Legal at FSCS during the financial crisis of 2008 was unique. The crisis was unprecedented and meant responding in a completely new way. Working closely with other key stakeholders, such as the (then) FSA, the Bank of England and HM Treasury, taught me the power of innovation, resilience and collaboration. FSCS came out of the crisis recognised externally for the work it had done to protect consumers and helped play a key role in ensuring financial stability in the UK. It’s my proudest career achievement.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Understanding your business and being able to translate legal advice in a way that your internal clients not only understand, but also learn to value too. Being calm, clear, pragmatic, and trusted are crucial qualities for success.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

Access to justice. I see the power of this in my day job at FSCS (through the importance of ensuring that customers are able to achieve similar outcomes whether or not they are represented) and through the volunteer roles I’ve performed in the past, such as a trustee at the activist NGO, the Public Law Project, and as a non-executive director at the London Capital Credit Union.

James Darbyshire - United Kingdom 2021

Chief counsel | Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Team size: 15 Major legal advisers: Addleshaw Goddard, Bevan Brittan, Burges Salmon, Burness Paull, Clifford Chance, Dentons and Eversheds Sutherland What are the most important transactions, litigations, or other major...

View Powerlist

Related Powerlists

James Darbyshire

Chief counsel

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

View Powerlist