James Barrett

James leads the firm’s Dispute Resolution team and is a qualified Solicitor-Advocate and mediator. He is named in Who’s Who Legal and Legal 500 for his expertise in franchising and was ranked by Business Today in the Top 10 UK-Wide Franchising Lawyers Influencing the Industry in 2023.

A Legal 500 testimonial reads: “James Barrett is highly skilled, reliable and tenacious, and has a deep understanding of franchising.”

Over the last 16 years, James has been involved in many leading franchising decisions, including the recent successful defence of a franchisor being pursued for misrepresentation and breach of contract in the case of London Business House Limited & Anor v Pitman Training Limited [2023] EWHC 1077 (Comm) .

Some of James’ other recent work highlights included his resolution of a master franchisee dispute across France, India, Vietnam and South Africa through mediation, obtaining an urgent injunction to recover franchise agreements from a director in breach of director’s duties, resolving claims for an international franchisor with over 20 sub-franchisees following the termination of a master franchisee, and resolving a dispute with over 80 franchisees with respect to franchise systems and services.

Interests: James plays hockey for Warwick Hockey Club. He has played at County and Regional level. When not playing hockey, he is kept busy by his four young daughters.

Additional languages: French (basic), Italian (basic).