James is the son of the late Sir John Badenoch, sometime Director of Clinical Studies (Dean of the Medical School) at the University of Oxford. He was pupil to John (later Mr Justice) Alliott and Harry (Lord) Woolf at 1 Crown Office Row, where he has practised ever since.
Appointed King’s Counsel in 1989, James has appeared in major cases in the Supreme Court, House of Lords, Privy Council, Court of Appeal, High Court, General Medical Council and General Dental Council, as well as overseas in the Hong Kong High Court and Court of Final Appeal.
James has served as a deputy High Court judge, recorder of the Crown Court, and president of the Mental Health Review Tribunal. He is also a bencher of Lincoln’s Inn and a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. He has also been admitted to the Hong Kong Bar and recently retired from chairmanship of the Expert Witness Institute.
James’ practice covers medically-related matters of all kinds. He is the author of numerous articles and chapters on medico-legal subjects, a regular lecturer and speaker to various societies, and an occasional broadcaster on TV and radio. He also served as counsel in the landmark case of Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board [2015], which had huge implications for the way the law deals with consent.
