James Knott

James is an experienced senior junior with a broad commercial, company, and commercial chancery practice, spanning chambers’ core practice areas. He has experience of court work at all first instance and appellate levels, as well as arbitration, and is equally happy working on his own or in a team (whether leading or being led).

James has particular experience of shareholder disputes of all descriptions, civil fraud actions (including interim remedies and contempt of court) and banking and finance disputes, but his work is by no means confined to those areas. Other recent work has, for example, seen James advise and represent clients in a number of pieces of trust litigation (acting both for trustees and beneficiaries), a damages enquiry in relation to a substantial intellectual property dispute in the pharmaceutical industry, and a dispute over long historic promotion and distribution arrangements in the music industry.

Recent reported cases include:

- Mason v Barclays Bank Plc [2025] EWCA 265 (contempt of court; sentencing);

- Dylan v. Barclays Bank Plc [2025] EWCA Civ 20 (contempt of court; sentencing);

- Barclays Bank Plc v. Dylan [2024] EWHC 1994 (contempt of court; committal);

- Eli Lilly & co v. Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited [2024] EWHC 2474 (Ch) (confidentiality clubs; variation of confidentiality orders)

- Barclays Bank Plc v. Citibank NA [2024] EWHC 53 (Ch) (non-party disclosure; confidentiality);

- Barclays Bank Plc v. Dylan [2023] EWHC 3523 (Ch) (adjournments; listing appeals);

- Byers v. Saudi National Bank [2023] UKSC 51; [2024] 2 WLR 237 (knowing receipt; constructive trusts);

- Re LYHFL Ltd [2023] EWHC 2585 (Ch); [2024] 2 B.C.L.C. 531 (administration; directors’ powers; locus standi);

- Eli Lilly & Co v. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd [2023] EWHC 68 (Ch) (preliminary issues; disclosure guidance);

- Stanford International Bank Ltd v. HSBC Bank Plc [2022] UKSC 34; [2023] AC 761 (loss; Quincecare duty);

- Global Energy Horizons Corp v. Gray [2021] EWCA Civ 123 and [2020] EWCA Civ 1668 (breach of duty; account of profits; fresh evidence; valuation; costs).

Called 2008; joined 4 Stone Buildings in 2010 following completion of his pupillage. James has been one of chambers’ four Pupil Supervisors since 2022.

Professional Memberships

COMBAR; Chancery Bar Association.