James is a partner at leading licensing solicitors, Poppleston Allen with offices in Nottingham and London. He has been practising in Licensing Law for over 30 years and specialising only in that area for the last 25 years.

However, following two of his favourites past times, the majority of work is in the pub and restaurant sector, particularly pubs, and he has particular expertise and affiliation to the great British pub.

For a number of years James has sat on the PICAS panel, becoming its Chair four years ago and has recently been appointed the Chair of the umbrella organisation the Pub Governing Body.