Experience Overview

James Carlton is a Partner in the Business Crime & Regulation department in London and has over 15 years experience in the conduct of professional discipline, public inquiries and high profile and complex criminal and regulatory defence work. James is viewed as 'a strategic thinker, energetic, and extremely competent’ in the Legal 500 Directory 2011.

Business Crime & Regulation

James is an expert fraud lawyer and has experience in all areas of white collar and business crime, including fraud, insider dealing, and Environment Agency and HSE investigations. He has acted on behalf of a number of high profile individuals and has a very clear understanding of the level of support required to deal with what is very often highly complex circumstances.

He has acted on behalf of a number of high profile individuals in both business crime and related civil sets of proceedings including Brent Walker, Guinness II and Butte Mining plc.

Public Inquiries & Inquests

James is frequently asked to advise professional individuals or officials in relation to internal corporate investigations, boards of inquiry, public inquiries and inquests.

Most recently, James has represented ten families of the victims’ of the 7/7 bombings, as well as advice into the ongoing Redfern Inquiry. Notably, James has acted on behalf of principal witnesses to the BSE, Marchioness and Victoria Climbié public inquiries.

Professional Discipline & Regulation

James has developed significant expertise in the area of professional discipline and regulation and advises individuals facing investigations or proceedings before the General Medical Council (GMC), the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and other professional healthcare disciplinary bodies.

James is also an expert regulatory lawyer for ecclesiastical bodies, lawyers at both the SRA and the BSB, accountants at the ICA and ACCA, the FSA and other regulators. Additionally, James has worked with the Police Federation advising police officers in a full range of professional discipline and misconduct matters.

James is currently instructed on behalf of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) for a number of nurses facing complex disciplinary proceedings before the NMC. He is also a regulatory solicitor for doctors facing investigations and proceedings into fitness to practice before the GMC, two senior government scientists involved in inquest proceedings arising out of complex and sensitive energetics trials and a number of high-ranking PSNI police service personnel giving evidence in public inquiries currently ongoing in Northern Ireland.

Highly regarded in legal directories, Chambers & Partners 2012 remark that "inquests and inquiries expert James Carlton has a strong niche in acting for those working in the healthcare sector and has lent his assistance to those appearing before GMC and NMC hearings."

Professional Memberships

James is a member of the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL), the Health & Safety Lawyers Association (HSLA), a Council Member of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences (BAFS) and a member of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA).

James is a regular speaker and has contributed to internal and external publications commenting on business crime and professional discipline matters of public interest. His legal career began as a trainee at Simmons and Simmons after achieving his LLB from the University of Birmingham and passing his law finals at the College of Law, Guildford.