James Megarry
Year of call
2022
Instructing James Megarry
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
James Megarry has a busy multi-disciplinary practice across chambers’ core areas, including civil, criminal and family law.
In his civil practice, James regularly acts for claimants and defendants in high value fast-track trials and small claims hearings. He has appeared in various interlocutory civil matters, and is well experienced in costs disputes, credit hire, and stage 3 hearings. James also has a growing paper practice, and accepts instructions to settle pleadings and advices.
James already undertakes sophisticated family work, and has appeared in care-proceedings, fact-finding hearings, and a range of private law disputes. He acts for local authorities and parents in interim and final hearings, where there are often grave allegations at issue.
James appears regularly in Crown Courts and Magistrates’ Courts across the country. As a prosecutor, he has secured convictions in numerous matters, including trials for ABH and strangulation. He routinely deals with mentions and sentencing in cases with serious charges. James has also gained experience in defence work and, in May 2023, was instructed for a week as junior on a murder trial.
James is keen to expand his practice in employment law, having volunteered as an advocate for the Free Representation Unit, prior to commencing his pupillage. He has appeared before the Employment Tribunal, and has worked on several cases, including claims for unfair dismissal and the unlawful deduction of wages. During pupillage, James was supervised by Jeffrey Jupp, and drafted advices and skeleton arguments in relation to Equality Act disputes.
James accepts instructions on commercial matters: before beginning his career at the Bar, he worked as a paralegal at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.
During his pupillage, James was supervised by Craig Carr and Gareth Weetman, as well as Jeffrey Jupp.
Some examples of James’ current and recent work are detailed below.
EDUCATION
University
2016-2019- Durham University- BA Hons in History: First Class Honours
2019-2020- City Law School- Graduate Diploma in Law: Distinction
2020-2021- City Law School- Bar Vocational Studies: Distinction
Scholarships
Queen Mother Scholar 2020 (Middle Temple)
Academic Excellence Scholar 2020 (City Law School)
Academic Excellence Scholar 2019 (City Law School).
Legal Expertise
Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence and General Civil
Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence and General Civil
- Acted for the defendant in a fast-track trial concerning a £20,000 public liability injury claim.
- Settled a defence to an employer’s liability claim for personal injury at work.
- Succeeded for the claimant in a fast-track whiplash claim, despite the claimant not having disclosed his injuries to his GP at several appointments in the months following his accident.
- Succeeded in obtaining costs for ‘unreasonable conduct’ when appearing for the defendant in a small claims credit-hire quantum dispute.
- Has convinced the Courts to strike out several Highways Act claims as disclosing no reasonable grounds.
Family Law
Family Law
- Successfully appeared for the applicant in a two-day fact-finding hearing, in which her allegations of rape, abuse, and coercive control were found to be proven.
- Acting for the respondent Mother in a two-day final hearing concerning care proceedings brought by the local authority.
- Appeared for the respondent in a fact-finding hearing concerning allegations of rape and assault.
- Appeared for the local authority in an application for an interim care order.
- Has advised on the viability of private law applications, including applications for occupation orders and the transfer of tenancy.
Crime & Regulatory
Crime & Regulatory
- Appeared as defence junior for a week on a murder trial.
- Appeared for the Crown in the sentencing of a harassment conviction and secured an uplift under s.66 SA 2020, despite resistance from the defence.
- Appeared for the Crown in confiscation proceedings relating to a multi-handed firearms conspiracy.
- Prosecuted trials for ABH, strangulation, and a range of theft and other offences.
Employment and Commercial
Employment and Commercial
- Represented a schoolteacher in a claim for unfair dismissal arising from her refusal to follow instructions as a result of an injury.
- Represented a police officer in a claim against the Metropolitan Police for the unlawful deduction of wages, in which the main issue was contractual agency.
- Assisted in acting for an employee who was dismissed after a failed drug test.
Instructing James Megarry
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
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