Quote mark icon

James Wingfield is outstanding. He is very knowledgeable in this area, unflappable, gives pragmatic, commercial advice and clients like working with him.

LEGAL 500 2025
About

James Wingfield specialises in resolving commercial disputes, often international, whether through litigation, arbitration or alternative dispute resolution. 

James acts extensively in cross-border disputes, including those in the energy, international trade, financial services, aviation and art and cultural property sectors. They include contractual and tort based claims, shareholder disputes and claims against directors and other fiduciaries for breach of duty.

His fraud and asset tracing practice includes significant disputes over allegedly fraudulent conduct and obtaining freezing orders and other interim relief.

He has expertise in financial services disputes, having acted in leading cases against banks and for FCA regulated payment providers.

In aviation disputes, he has acted for a national airline and commercial aircraft parts suppliers.

James' art and cultural property practice includes acting for art dealers and artists. He successfully defended a London art dealer against high-profile allegations of negligence. He acts on claims concerning title and forgeries.

James is a higher courts advocate. He has extensive experience of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

Recent work

  • Acting for a German industrial group and their UK subsidiary in £300m claims against three former directors and insurers for breach of their Companies Act duties, including negligence, on three significant, loss-making UK waste to energy power station projects.
  • Acting for a European national airline in a dispute over the supply of pooled aircraft parts.
  • Acting for a New York merchant bank obtaining judgment in a EUR 1.7m claim against a Polish real estate group for a success fee arising from financing.
  • Acting for an Authorised Electronic Money Institution, defending a EUR 21m claim commenced by the liquidator of an Irish company alleging dishonest assistance in breach of fiduciary duty.
  • Acting for an Authorised Payment Institution bringing a stakeholder claim over a fund of SGD 2.6m claimed by investors in Singapore and China.
  • Acting for London art dealers defending a £10m negligence claim concerning the sale of a Chardin and Studio painting and defending a USD 4.8m claim concerning title to a Signac painting, involving theft of sale proceeds by an agent for the other side of the transaction. 

Accolades
  • Listed as Individual to watch, Art and Cultural Property Law, Chambers UK 2026
  • Listed as Key Lawyer, Dispute Resolution: Commercial Litigation: Mid-Market, Legal 500 2024
  • "James Wingfield act[s] in major commercial disputes." Legal 500 2024

 

London Bridge and The Shard at dusk.

News and views from Commercial Dispute Resolution

As the market continues to evolve, our commercial disputes team will keep you updated on changing legislation, provide insight on judgments and be a source of knowledge for any upcoming changes. Our articles cover a range of topics from civil fraud to arbitration and insolvency.

READ LATEST ARTICLES

Latest

Our lawyers are experts in their fields. Through commentary and analysis, we give you insights into the pressures impacting business today.

VIEW ALL