James Fidler concentrates his practice on complex multijurisdictional civil litigation, with a predominant focus on fraud, asset tracing, and judgment enforcement. James is recognized as a "Rising Star" in The Legal 500 (2023) for civil fraud, which identifies him as "one to watch" and says: "he is very clever, has fantastic attention to detail, is extremely diligent and hardworking," "responsive and considered," and "pragmatic in finding solutions often under intense time pressure."
His recent experience includes: preparing and implementing a recovery strategy for a listed company in the wake of a very significant fraud spanning approximately 30 jurisdictions, which involved obtaining search orders and freezing orders in courts throughout Asia and Europe, and which has resulted in the recovery of the majority of misappropriated funds; advising Arcadia Petroleum in US$330m proceedings against former executives for various dishonesty-based claims; acting for a Middle Eastern bank in English proceedings to enforce a substantial foreign judgment against assets worldwide, and to pursue claims related to the debtors' attempts to evade execution of that judgment; representing the Bin Mahfouz family on its US$50m asset tracing investigation against Muhaned El-Rashid, in which worldwide freezing orders, search orders, and disclosure orders were obtained; acting for an Emirati bank in an action brought in aid of foreign proceedings in which worldwide freezing orders were obtained in England and against Chabra defendants in the British Virgin Islands (BVI); and representing a prominent Saudi businessman in relation to fraud proceedings and a freezing order brought against him in England.
Experience
- BPP Law School, London (Legal Practice Course with distinction 2014; Graduate Diploma in Law with commendation 2013); University of Oxford (M.St. in Religious Studies 2012); University of Edinburgh (M.A. in Divinity with first class honours 2010)
- Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales
The Legal 500: named a "Rising Star" for civil fraud (2023) and as a key lawyer in civil fraud and in regulatory investigations and corporate crime (2020 and 2021)
- French