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

He has particular experience in banking and financial services disputes, commercial contract disputes, shareholder and joint venture disputes, and cases involving fraud and insolvency. Many of his cases have involved cross-border issues and/or proceedings in foreign jurisdictions.

James joined the firm as a partner in 2018. Prior to joining Cleary, he was a disputes partner at an international law firm in London.

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Notable Experiences

Banking and Financial Services

  • RBS and four of its former directors on the successful settlement of a major class action brought in the English High Court by nearly 40,000 shareholders in relation to the bank’s 2008 Rights Issue.

  • 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.

  • A significant company in the hotels sector on claims against Anglo Irish Bank.

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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 and the manager’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

  • 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.

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

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

  • 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