James works with a wide variety of charities, not for profits, local authorities and government departments. He tends to focus on governance and structure issues including reviews of governance, company group and collaborative structures, Royal Charters, International Federations and other bodies. He has done substantial amounts of work for membership organisations which represent a particular challenge.
Much of his work is involved with mergers including assisting clients find appropriate merger partners and negotiating the early stages of mergers and collaborative working.
Increasingly he has had to support clients facing issues with regulators and in particular the Charity Commission and finding strategies to manage a range of risk, solvency and growth issues.
Recent work has included assisting Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust with its governance and relationship with the local authority; advising the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy on complexities arising from their membership structure; undertaking governance reviews for a range of bodies including YHA and the English speaking Union focusing on board effectiveness and improving EDI; assisting a new charity take on the ownership and management of a large stately home and estate in Wales.
James was appointed the Protector of NESTA by the Secretary of State and is the Chair of ShelterBox an international aid charity and a housing association and Vice Chair of a number of other charities.

