James is a safe pair of hands. He is very personable and good with clients and a delight to work with.”

Chambers UK 2025, Personal Injury

James is a leading specialist personal injury and clinical negligence barrister. He is ranked in both Legal 500 and Chambers UK.

James represents claimants and defendants in cases involving catastrophic and serious injury.

His personal injury work focuses on high-value and complex cases concerning public liability and employer’s liability. He is frequently instructed as sole counsel in multi-million pounds cases with a particular focus on public authority, construction, military, and industrial disease work.  He is very experienced in all work concerning pain disorders or where there are complex medical causation issues.   James acted in one of the leading reported cases of recent years on occupiers’ liability in the Court of Appeal.  He is presently instructed for the NHS in Wales in ongoing High Court group litigation pursued by frontline healthcare workers arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.  He is instructed by a number of leading insurers often at an early stage of litigation.

His clinical negligence work increasingly focuses on cases involving birth injury and spinal injury.   He is often instructed in cases involving baby loss.  He acted in one of the leading recent reported cases on obstetric negligence.   He is frequently instructed both on behalf of claimant and defendants.  Recent work has includes a number of cauda equina syndrome cases as well as those involving delayed diagnosis of cancer cases and surgical negligence.  James has a wealth of trial experience.

Directory Quotes

James is very knowledgeable and experienced. He is a safe pair of hands and persuasive in advocacy.

The Legal 500 2025, Personal Injury

James is a safe pair of hands. He is very personable and good with clients and a delight to work with.

Chambers UK 2025, Personal Injury

James is very approachable and willing to fight a challenging case. He is an excellent advocate who pays great attention to detail and can get to the heart of the matter.

The Legal 500 2025, Clinical Negligence

James is an extremely gifted advocate, which also comes from thorough preparation. He is empathetic and cares about his clients. He also does not shy away from giving an opinion, either in person, on an ad hoc basis or on paper.”

The Legal 500 2024, Personal Injury

James has a strong personal injury practice, with experience handling cases in the High Court and Court of Appeal. ‘He’s technically excellent and a gifted advocate.’ James handles the client really well and is reassuring and pragmatic.’ He is forensically detailed in his approach.’ “

Chamber UK 2024, Personal Injury

A junior who prepares meticulously and will fight a case for you.”

The Legal 500 2023, Clinical Negligence

James does not back away from a difficult or challenging case. He is robust yet able to change his style in cross examination, depending on the individual in front of him, and his advocacy is second to none. He has an excellent way with clients to make them feel at ease.”

The Legal 500 2023, Personal Injury

James is incredibly clear and quietly fierce.”

Legal 500 2022, Clinical Negligence

James is extremely engaging, commercial and pragmatic. He has an amazing ability to identify the heart of the issues, and deliver advice which truly understands the client’s prospective. He is also extremely responsive.”

Legal 500 2022, Personal Injury

Focused and unflappable, offering high quality advocacy and pragmatic advice.”

LEGAL 500 2021, CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE

James is an excellent advocate. He is analytical, pays great attention to detail and provides stellar advice. He is ultra client focused.”

LEGAL 500 2021, PERSONAL INJURY

James provides reliable and clear advice, which takes into consideration the client’s needs. He has an eye for detail often overlooked by other members of the bar. What may seem innocuous to others can be crucial to a case and he has the knack of applying perfect weight to the issues which allows him to rescue even the most dire cases.”

LEGAL 500 2021, COSTS

Seminars & Events

  • Professional memberships:

    • LLB (Hons) Durham & BVC Nottingham
  • James Marwick is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please read here.