James Pretsell

James has a meticulous eye for detail and achieves excellent outcomes.

Legal 500

Professional Negligence

James has extensive and broad experience of appearing in front of professional and sporting disciplinary and regulatory bodies.

James has acted on behalf of solicitors, accountants, medical professionals and teachers. He has appeared before a wide variety of disciplinary panels such as those of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Care Quality Commission, the National College for Training and Leadership and the General Regulatory Chamber.

By way of example of his recent work, James successfully defended a teacher who was the object of potentially career-ending allegations of sexual misconduct:

http://www.farrarsbuilding.co.uk/james-pretsell-represents-teacher-cleared-of-sexual-misconduct/

James also sits as Chairman of the Appeals Tribunal of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain adjudicating on disputes that are often of a commercial and technical nature.

James also advises and acts on behalf of professionals facing negligence claims. Recently James successfully resisted an appeal before HHJ Saggerson QC brought by a solicitor’s former client in which a series of allegations of professional negligence were made arising out of a complex matrimonial dispute.

James has acted and advised on behalf of various professional sporting individuals and bodies. He has, for example, acted for a professional boxing manager before the appeal panel of the British Boxing Board of Control where he enjoyed the rare distinction of cross-examining Frank Warren and advised a rugby club on the prospects of successfully challenging a refusal by the WRU to allow promotion.

James is a member of the Association of Disciplinary and Regulatory Lawyers.

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Notable Cases


Atkinson v Pathak (2015) EWHC 1120
James was instructed by the Defendant insurer to defend a claim involving a Claimant who had been working as a self-employed gardener when in December 2009 the First Defendant -insured by the Second Defendant- had negligently run over his left foot when mounting the pavement in the course of doing a U-turn. The Claimant sought a total award of damages in excess of £600,000.

Szura v Dixey
Represented a Claimant injured in an rta who alleged that she sustained a moderate brain injury. This was hotly disputed by the experts (Neurologists, Psychiatrists and Neuro-Psychologists) and was heard over a five day High Court trial before HH Judge Forster QC sitting as a High Court Judge. The issue was determined in the Claimant's favour and quantum was settled. The case was one of the first in the High Court (indeed in any court) to involve experts giving evidence concurrently ('hot tubbing').

Cass DA v (1) C & C Plumbing & Heating (Southern) Ltd (2) C & C Carpentry Services Ltd (3) Bellway Homes Ltd
Successfully represented a Defendant in a claim arising out of a fall through a roof on a construction site that was heard over a number of days before HH Judge Moloney QC. The claim involved complicated questions of engineering evidence relating to the building methods and materials used.

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Thompson F v Asphaltic Roofing Supplies Ltd
Successfully represented a Defendant in a claim where it was alleged that a hydraulic arm had malfunctioned and injured the Claimant. The matter was heard before HHJ Hand QC and involved lengthy and technical expert engineering evidence.

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If you would like to instruct James Pretsell or would like help or advice in doing so, please call and talk to our excellent clerking team, led by Chief Executive/Director of Clerking, Paul Cray. Our phone number is +44 (0)20 7583 9241. Alternatively, please email us at chambers@farrarsbuilding.co.uk

For more information about our clerking team, please click here for the clerks page.

Appointments & Memberships


  • Chairman of the Appeals Tribunal of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain
  • Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers
  • British Association for Sport & Law
  • Employment Law Bar Association
  • Personal Injury Bar Association

Education & Qualifications


  • Karmel Scholar & Prince of Wales Scholar, Gray’s Inn
  • BVC (with Distinction in Advocacy), Inns of Court School of Law
  • Dip Law (Commendation), City University
  • BA in French & Philosophy (First Class), University of Bristol

Directory Quotes


James is ranked as a Leading Junior in the Legal 500 for Personal Injury:

He has a wonderfully relaxed manner with clients which makes him very reassuring.’ Legal 500

‘James has a meticulous eye for detail and achieves excellent outcomes.’ Legal 500

 

Personal Interests


James interests include playing for and now supporting London Welsh, cycling, skiing and cricket.