Profile

James heads Vinson & Elkins' International Dispute Resolution practice and focuses his practice on the arbitration and litigation of international commercial and investor-state disputes and on counseling clients involved in matters involving international law and treaties.

His practice includes disputes involving all aspects of energy, infrastructure development and construction, and disputes under investment laws and treaties, as well as boundary disputes, cross-border technology disputes and sovereign debt. He also represents and advises clients in reviews under U.S. national security law (CFIUS) and anti-corruption law (FCPA) and in international and cross-border litigation, including arbitral award enforcement in a number of jurisdictions.

He is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration, is listed in Global Arbitration Review, is the ABA's delegate to the LCIA Court of Arbitration in London, is listed in Legal Media Group's (Euromoney's) Expert Guide to Commercial Arbitration, and is ranked in international arbitration in both Chambers Global and Chambers USA. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for international arbitration.

In 2009, James was appointed as adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law where he teaches international investment law and investor-state arbitration and international commercial arbitration.

In 2011, he was appointed as Chair of the Advisory Board for the Global Center for Energy, International Arbitration and Environmental Law at the University of Texas School of Law.

From 1997 - 2000, he served in Geneva, Switzerland, as chief counsel for the Oil Sector (E1) and Construction and Engineering (E3) Panels of the United Nations Compensation Commission (the Gulf War claim tribunal). James maintains offices in London and in Houston, and is admitted in Texas and in the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts.

Education and Professional Background

• University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1990
• University of Texas, B.B.A., 1983
• Admitted to practice: Texas, 1990; U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Fifth and Federal Circuits; U.S. District Court for the Southern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas
• Granted full rights of audience before the Dubai International Financial Centre Court, 2009
• Other Languages: French (proficient), Russian, and Spanish (reading proficient)