James Norris-Jones has more than 20 years’ experience of English and international commercial dispute resolution, including litigation, arbitration, investigations, and enforcement.

He is recognized by legal directories as a leading partner in his field, being described as “technically superb,” “strategically astute,” and having a “forensic and unrelenting approach to a case, with probably the best customer service around.” He is also praised for his “excellent judgement,” being “all over the detail,” and respected as a “robust negotiator.”

He regularly advises clients involved in class actions. He has acted in some of the largest UK GLO claims, including the RBS Rights Issue Litigation and the Diesel Emissions Litigation. He also has acted in a number of competition litigation group claims, including for Goldman Sachs in the FX litigation and for Amazon in collective proceedings brought against it and Apple. James is noted for his ability to lead large teams “efficiently and expertly through complex litigation.”

James has particular experience in the financial services and tech sectors, and in cases involving fraud and insolvency. Many of his cases have involved cross-border issues and/or proceedings in foreign jurisdictions.

James joined Cleary Gottlieb as a partner in 2018. He was previously a disputes partner at an international law firm in London.

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Notable Experience

Class Actions

  • Peugeot Citroën and Fiat Chrysler in the diesel emissions litigation, one of the largest and most complex class actions brought in the UK.

  • Amazon in its defense of collective proceedings brought in the Competition Appeal Tribunal against it and Apple by a class containing more than 35 million people.

  • Goldman Sachs in its defense and subsequent successful settlement of a class action in the Competition Appeal Tribunal alleging wrongful behavior in the FX markets.

  • RBS and four of its former directors on the successful settlement of a £4 billion class action brought in the English High Court in relation to the bank’s 2008 Rights Issue.

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Financial Services Litigation

  • UBS on its successful defense of a claim brought by Decura Investments in relation to a joint venture with UBS’s investment bank.

  • A major Canadian bank on various regulatory issues arising from an internal investigation.

  • A major investment bank on claims relating to delegated reporting under the EMIR regulation.

  • UBS on the successful settlement of a claim brought by MBIA in relation to a credit default swap.

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Insolvency

  • The limited partner advisory committee and interim manager of a $1 billion fund on claims arising from serious misconduct by the fund’s manager (Abraaj) and Abraaj’s subsequent insolvency.

  • Nortel Networks UK (in administration) and 18 other European Nortel companies on a $7 billion dispute arising from the global Nortel insolvency, including litigation in the U.S. and Canadian courts.

  • The trustees of a family trust in relation to litigation brought in England and Guernsey arising from the insolvency of Kaupthing.

  • UBS on its successful defense of rescission claims brought in Iceland by Kaupthing, Glinir, and Landsbanki in relation to various bond repurchases entered into shortly prior to those banks’ insolvency.

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Shareholder and Joint Venture Disputes

  • The Qatar Investment Authority on claims against a defaulting counterparty.

  • Alessandro Benedetti on claims against Naguib Sawiris in connection with the acquisition of the Italian telecoms company Wind, which ultimately were determined by the UK Supreme Court.

  • Kirit Pathak on High Court claims relating to the ownership of the Patak Foods business.

  • A Singapore-based investment fund on a shareholder dispute in connection with an oilfield in Africa.

  • A high-net-worth family on various shareholder and trust disputes in a number of European and Caribbean jurisdictions.

  • Euronet Worldwide Inc. on a shareholder dispute in the English High Court in connection with an English subsidiary.

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Additional Experience

  • Castle Water on High Court claims for breach of contract against Thames Water.

  • Cushman & Wakefield on arbitral proceedings relating to the acquisition of the DTZ Worldwide business.

  • A major international telecoms company on breach of warranty and other claims in relation to a $1 billion IT infrastructure contract.

  • Tajik Aluminium Company on a major fraud case, involving parallel English High Court litigation, two LCIA arbitrations, and a ZCC arbitration.

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Publications

Events