James grew up on a farm in southern Ontario, where he learned a work ethic that he carries to this day. From there, James went on to earn an honours degree in Biology from Queen’s University, a Master’s Degree in Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto, and a law degree from Osgoode Hall at York University.

After law school, James articled at a small criminal defence firm in Toronto, focussed primarily on murder cases and large scale drug trafficking investigations. There, James was able to use the problem solving skills he had gained in the sciences to break down complex cases into manageable legal and factual issues.

James then went on to Vancouver, where he worked as co-counsel for the defence in a 10-month long murder trial before a jury. Again, James brought an ability to manage very large volumes of disclosure, to pick out the facts and issues that helped his client, and to spot and manage weaknesses in his client’s case. From there, James joined the British Columbia Prosecution Service, where he served as Crown counsel, focussing on cases of domestic violence. In that role, James was able to show that he excelled not only with the technical aspects of the law, but also with helping witnesses and victims in very difficult circumstances to tell their stories and seek justice.

James and his family moved to Ottawa in 2019, and he and his wife welcomed twins into their family the following year.

James serves clients in all areas of civil litigation. With his criminal law and science background, James is well versed in issues regarding expert evidence and evidence admissibility generally. He is also driven by compassion for his clients, and a desire to help people experiencing hard times in their employment, business dealings, or otherwise to find solutions to their legal problems. James has a wealth of trial experience, and can help guide witnesses to give evidence on the most difficult of topics or cross-examine an opposing party on the thorniest of issues.

James is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, and a former member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Outside of work, James enjoys reading novels, playing soccer, and spending time with family.

Call to the Bar
Ontario, 2014
British Columbia, 2014

Education
J.D., York University – Osgoode Hall Law School, 2013
MSc., University of Toronto, 2010

BSc.H., Queen’s University, 2007

Associations
County of Carleton Law Assocation

You can reach James at 613-234-2500 or james@listerlawyers.com.