James Healy
James specialises in resources and construction disputes, acting at various times for all of the proponents in such projects across Australia and internationally. He also practices extensively in directors’ duties, insolvency and loan recovery matters.
Prior to joining the bar in 2010, James was a partner of a national law firm and assisted clients with all commercial and contentious aspects of the development of resources projects in Australia, the Asia Pacific and Africa.
His practice focuses on complex contractual disputes with respect to major construction and engineering projects and infrastructure. This has included acting for parties in international arbitrations in the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), Singapore International Arbitration Court (SIAC) and numerous ad hoc international arbitrations. That work has seen him work extensively with delay and quantum experts and collating the supporting lay evidence.
He has acted as counsel to a number of the leading cases on enforcement and judicial review of determinations under the Construction Contracts Act 2004 (WA).
James has a substantial regulatory enforcement practice acting for the Australian Taxation Office, Fair Entitlements Guarantee Department, Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, United States of America Federal Reserve and regularly appears for individuals being examined by the ASIC, Australian Federal Police and the Corruption and Crime Commission (WA). In 2016 and 2017, he acted as counsel in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearings held in Newcastle and Sydney.
A CIArb Australia director since 2013, James is a member of the global CIArb Approved Faculty List, and regularly teaches, presents and publishes papers in Australia and overseas. He is the Immediate Past Chair of the CIArb Australia Young Members Group and the Australian representative of the global CIArb YMG and as CIArb Australia’s Vice President is actively involved in the branch activities.
Through his involvement in the Law Council of Australia and Law Society of Western Australia he is actively involved in law reform. James regularly teaches, presents and publishes papers in Australia and overseas.
Doyles Guide to the Australian Legal Profession and the Australian Financial Review Best Lawyers regularly peer reviews James as a leading junior counsel. He is named as a leading construction junior barrister, a pre-eminent Western Australian junior barrister in insolvency and reconstruction and is recognised for his work in general litigation.