James joined Chambers in 2011 after successfully completing pupillage. His supervisors were Richard Baker and Gareth Weetman. He enjoys a wide-ranging practice encompassing all of Chambers’ areas of expertise, in particular civil work and general crime. James is regularly instructed in courts all over the country.
Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence
During his pupillage James received a rigorous training in all aspects of personal injury and clinical negligence litigation, ranging from settling statements of case and advices in low-level fast track claims to drafting schedules of loss for multi-million pound multi-track and fatal accident claims.
In his own practice James frequently represents claimants and defendants in the county courts at small claims and fast track levels. He is happy to accept instructions to draft advices and statements of case. Recent work includes: drafting the defence in a claim brought by a teacher against a local authority for injury allegedly inflicted by a pupil,andsuccessfully striking out a claim for personal injury following allegedly negligent cosmetic treatment.
James has a keen interest in clinical negligence and fatal accident claims. He assisted his supervisor Richard Baker on a number of inquests during pupillage, and since beginning his own practice has already represented a bereaved family in a full, alleged clinical negligence inquest for the charity AvMA.
Crime
James regularly appears in the Crown Court throughout the south-eastern and east midlands circuits. He has extensive experience of plea and case management hearings, bail applications and sentencing hearings. Recent cases include securing a non-custodial sentence for a defendant charged on a multi-handed money laundering indictment worth in excess of £100,000.
James has acted for the prosecution in a number of bail and breach applications in the Crown Court. He also regularly prosecutes appeals against sentence and conviction for the DVLA.
James has appeared in the magistrates’ courts at all level of hearings. He has conducted full trials in both the adult and youth jurisdictions and is happy to accept instructions to draft written advices on appeals and sentences.
Employment and General Civil
James has a growing employment law practice and has been instructed on full tribunal hearings on both a private and pro bono basis. Recent cases include representing the claimant in a two-day nationally reported discrimination claim in the central London tribunal that resulted in an award of £16,000 damages for injury to feelings.
James is also regularly instructed in the county courts on various civil matters including CPR Part 13 applications, return of goods hearings and possession claims.
Family and Child Law
James spent part of his pupillage assisting members of Chambers’ family law team. His experience included observing a number of contested fact-finding hearings and providing research for an international Hague Convention case in the Court of Appeal. Since commencing his own practice, James has represented parents in both private and public law proceedings and is happy to accept instructions in both domains.
Education and Background
James attended bar school in Manchester after successfully obtaining his Graduate Diploma in Law (with distinction). On the Bar Vocational Course he attained the overall grade of ‘Outstanding’ and received the Dean of Faculty’s Award for the highest marks in his year.
Prior to law, James worked for two years as a full-time secondary school teacher in London as part of the Teach First programme. He retains a keen interest in education and educational disadvantage. James originally read philosophy at the University of Cambridge and took master’s degrees (MA and MPhil) in the subject.
Contact James Macdonald
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7242 3555
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7242 2511
Email: clerks@7br.co.uk