James is an experienced solicitor who joined the Litigation Team at Ridley & Hall as a Partner in January 2020.

James is a fully accredited member of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers and he brings with him passion and understanding of the legal challenges faced by older people and their families. The Association of Lifetime Lawyers is a collective of legal professionals dedicated to providing the correct legal guidance to vulnerable and elderly individuals.

He specialises in claims under the Inheritance Act, will disputes and financial abuse, in particular involving property ownership. An experienced solicitor, he is known for striking the right balance between technical detail and practical advice.

James is known at a national level known for his expertise in the care fee sector, most notably representing clients in claims for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding. Before joining Ridley & Hall, he headed a team at a national law firm specialising exclusively in this area of law and over the years, his team recovered millions of pounds in wrongly paid care home fees and saved a number of families from having to pay for care going forward.

NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding is a package of care which is fully funded by the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), for individuals who are assessed as having a “Primary Health Need”. James acts for individuals and their families in relation to appeals and retrospective applications.

James’ primary goal is to educate the public so that they are aware of what they are legally entitled to and he is recommended to people because of his passion for this area of work.

James is well respected for his assertive yet collaborative approach to resolving disputes with the NHS and his working knowledge of ICBs and their staff allows him to help his clients to navigate all aspects of the complex eligibility assessment process.

Internally at Ridley & Hall, James works closely with our Wills & Probate and Property Law teams and plays an active role in the firm’s marketing and business development strategy and risk management.

James feels strongly about abuse of the elderly, which can sadly take place in various forms. He will help family members to take action wherever possible, to secure justice for an elderly, vulnerable or deceased relative. He is aware that abuse may take various forms, some of which are very subtle, and he does not let that deter him from getting to the bottom of the matter. He is also conscious of how delicate subjects like health, care and finances are and works through his clients’ problems with the utmost sensitivity and confidentiality.

James’ undergraduate degree was Law with Spanish and he does his best to keep up with his language skills, though frequently his work, home and family life take priority; so he gets over to Spain as frequently as he can!