Region Area

Barristers

James Howells KC

James Howells 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.

Mentions

Middle East: The English Bar

Construction

Leading silk1
James Howells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘James is an excellent lawyer who is very bright and strategically astute.’
London Bar

Construction

Leading silk1
James Howells KC – Atkin Chambers ‘James is an excellent lawyer who is very bright and strategically astute.’
London Bar

Energy

Leading silk2
James 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

International arbitration: counsel

Leading silk2
James 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

IT and telecoms: projects and services

Leading silk2
James 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.’