James re-joined Stephens Scown in September 2026 as a Partner in the Corporate team. 

Having qualified in 2005, James brings more than 20 years’ experience advising businesses on a broad range of corporate, commercial and strategic matters. Before rejoining Stephens Scown, he spent 17 years in-house as General Counsel to Peter Jones CBE’s Family Office and global investment group, providing legal and commercial support across diverse sectors and international markets. 

His practice focuses on: 

• General corporate and commercial matters 

• Mergers and acquisitions 

• Investment transactions 

• Banking and finance 

James’ combination of private practice and senior in-house experience gives him a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing businesses, investors and entrepreneurs. Having worked alongside management teams, founders and investors, he understands the importance of commercially focused advice that supports long-term growth and strategic objectives. 

Recent examples of his work include: 

• Advising on the acquisition from private equity of a UK golf retailer employing approximately 750 people, with 80 stores and annual turnover of around £135 million. 

• Sale of a majority interest in a global end-to-end warehousing and fulfilment business to a global leader in the same sector.  

• Completing a complex transatlantic joint venture with a world-renowned fashion creative to support the growth of an established UK fashion and lifestyle publishing business, launch a new US fashion publication and establish a creative studio serving global brands. 

• Supporting The Peter Jones Foundation, a founder-led philanthropic enterprise and entrepreneurship charity, which has over the past 20 years raised more than £20 million to help create opportunities for young people. 

• Investor raise and bank financing debt funding support for global cross-border corporate group 

• Finalising a strategic global partnership agreement with a worldwide online sports community business. 

James trained and qualified at Stephens Scown which included advising local south west businesses and some investors associated with Dragons’ Den before moving into an in-house role as lead global legal adviser to Peter Jones CBE and PJ Investment Group Limited. Operating within a dynamic patriarchal family office and entrepreneurial environment, he advised on a wide range of investments, transactions and commercial matters across multiple industries and sectors. 

These included consumer technology, end-to-end supply chain and logistics, mobile and wireless communications, retail, digital imaging, fashion and lifestyle brands, and cross-border ecommerce businesses. His experience also encompasses investments in a number of Dragons’ Den businesses, including organisations that are B Corps and businesses with a strong sustainability focus. 

Clients value James’ ability to combine general counsel and legal expertise with commercial insight, drawing on extensive first-hand experience of working within fast-growing, founder-led and investor-backed businesses. 

Outside of work, James enjoys spending time with his wife, twin boys and two fox red Labradors. He enjoys hiking on the moors, skiing, paddleboarding and travelling.