James joined Bermans in May 2026 and is Senior Associate in our Litigation team.
James qualified as a solicitor in 2011. Prior to this, he worked in the Shipping and Logistics industry for one of the main ocean-going carriers at the time. Before joining Bermans, James worked for national and international law firms and was head of litigation at an established Warrington firm.
James has extensive experience advising on all forms of commercial disputes including the niche area of carriage of goods. He has also managed claims in the specialist lists of the Admiralty Court and Commercial Court as well as handing matters in the County Court.
James is regularly instructed to advise on insurance disputes and property litigation, whilst also having a private client practice, advising in areas of law such as contentious probate, trust disputes, defamation, misuse of private information and consumer disputes.
Outside of work, James supports Everton F.C and has a keen interest in the sports of cricket and tennis.
Sean Hughes spent much of his life making audiences laugh. Yet the legal dispute that followed his death is a serious reminder that when it comes to wills, there is little room for humour. The decade‑long court battle over the comedian’s estate shows, in stark terms, how informal drafting can leave even clear intentions tied up in costly uncertainty.
Bermans has successfully acted for the Appellant in a significant Court of Appeal decision (Kiko UK Limited v Pianoforte Holdings SpA [2026] EWCA Civ 513) concerning the scope of a parent company guarantee under a lease of commercial property.
Residential landlords are being warned that the Renters’ Rights Act will substantially increase setbacks in possession claims, with a wrong move likely to send more cases back to square one in a game of snakes and ladders.
The Act is being rolled out from May 1 and introduces the most significant reforms to tenancy law in decades.
This is the latest in a series of articles on the “fixed recoverable costs” regime introduced in the civil courts in October 2023. The most recent articles before this one can be found here:
In an article in December 2023 we reported on the Court of Appeal’s decision which, for the first time, gave the courts the power to compel parties to mediate.
There have been further developments since then. In October 2024, changes to the court rules (CPR) were made to give the court the specific power to order the parties to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) such as mediation.
Saffa joined Bermans in July 2025 and is a Paralegal in our Litigation team in Manchester.
She assists in property disrepair cases, commercial leases and contract disputes. She often helps prepare bundles, take counsel notes and various other tasks.
Saffa studied Law at the University of Leeds, graduating in 2024.
Outside of work, Saffa enjoys reading and going to the gym. She also enjoys playing tennis with friends on a weekend (when the weather is nice!).
We have noticed an increase recently in instructions from clients who own shares in private companies and who for a variety of reasons want to leave and sell their shares but find this difficult to achieve.
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Senior Associate
Paralegal