James Findlay KC: Leading Barrister at Cornerstone

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James Findlay KC, called 1984, is and for many years has been recognised in both Legal 500 and Chambers UK as a leading practitioner in the fields of planning and environment, local government, administrative and public, and licensing law. He serves as Joint Head of Chambers at Cornerstone Barristers and Chair of Terra Firma Chambers in Scotland.

Chambers UK notes that “James is one of the very best planning advocates operating across the UK”. He habitually handles judicial reviews and statutory appeals at many of the highest courts in the UK, including the Supreme Court.

His practice also includes Compulsory Purchase, Commercial & Regulatory and Property work.

His client base is broad, including private developers, planning consultants, local authorities as well as individuals via direct access. He continues to be retained by Guildford BC, leading a team from Cornerstone Barristers, following successful adoption of their Local Plan.

James was called as an Advocate in Scotland in 2008 and took silk there in 2017. He is Chair of the Scottish Planning, Local Government and Environmental Bar Group, and is recognised as a leading practitioner in Scotland in the Guides for similar areas of law as in England, Chambers UK 2023 identifying him as the leading counsel at the Scottish Bar on planning and Legal 500 2023 as the “top planning silk in Scotland”.

Supreme Court appearances include:

Trump v Scottish Ministers [2015] UKSC 74
Uprichard v Scottish Ministers [2013] UKSC 21
Tesco Stores Ltd v Dundee City Council [2012] UKSC 13
Welwyn Hatfield v SOSCLG [2011] UKSC 15, [2011] 2 A.C. 304
Multilink Leisure Developments v North Lanarkshire Council [2010] UKSC 47
R (Sacker) v West Yorkshire Coroner [2004] UKHL 11
Al-Ameri v RBKC [2004] UKHL 4
Birmingham v Oakley [2001] 1 A.C. 617

Expertise

Planning & Environment
James is rated in both Legal 500 and Chambers UK for planning in both England and Scotland. Comments in recent years include: “He can immediately identify the key issue in the case and his judgment on the prospect of succeeding, advancing or resisting is very, very good”, and “He is a skilful cross-examiner. He doesn’t bang on the table; he just takes witnesses apart piece by piece in a very subtle way”.

The latest Chambers UK (2026) states

“James Findlay KC operates a substantial planning practice in Scotland, as well as in England and Wales. He is particularly adept at dealing with controversial or complex cases with a high profile. His work for local authorities often concerns housing or energy projects. Challenges to local plans form a key area of his work. He also represents developers and other interested parties.”

And

“James has a superb legal brain combined with an easy going manner, which makes for incredibly effective advocacy.”
Judicial Review & Public Law
James is ranked in Legal 500 as a leading Administrative Law and Human Rights silk. he has also been recognised by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as a leading practitioner in local government work for many years, both as a junior and now as a silk. He has been described as “first class” noted for giving “no-nonsense, concise advice”.

Chambers UK 2026 states “James Findlay KC garners significant praise for his knowledge of administrative and public law, local government and environmental matters. He habitually handles judicial reviews and statutory appeals at many of the highest courts in the UK, including the Supreme Court”.

As well as planning and environment, local government and licensing work James has been involved in a very wide variety of other areas of public law work covering pharmacies, coroners, pensions, local government re-organisation, Council Tax and elections. He has appeared for the NFU before various Parliamentary Committees on the HS2 and its extension.

He has a particular expertise in Judicial Review, including PCOs, and considerable experience of Human Rights litigation.
Licensing
James is recognised in both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading licensing silk. Comments in recent years include: “A leader in his field” and “prized … for his wide-ranging and detailed knowledge of licensing law and his ability to tailor his approach to the needs of the client” and “an intelligent and courteous advocate, who is softly spoken but persuasive”.

He has undertaken a significant number of cases for Westminster City Council and he successfully upheld its Stress Area Policies under the Licensing Act 2003. He has acted for a wide range of private clients, other local and police authorities, e.g. Nottingham, Essex and Cambridge Police.

James has expertise in gambling and betting as well as entertainment licensing, including sex licensing.

He has undertaken extensive work involving hackney carriages and private hire vehicles both for the trade and authorities. He was invited as an expert to the Law Commission working party considering the issue of reform of the statutory framework for such vehicles. He appeared in the recent Call a Cab case for the successful appellant.

He recently acted in Waltham Forest v Hussein, a housing licensing case which considered the relevance of previous convictions, and in 2020/2021 has acted for Uber and AirBnB.
Regulatory & Commercial
James has experience of building disputes, professional negligence claims against solicitors/surveyors, arbitrations and general contract work ranging from disputes about oil wells in Azerbaijan to fake Arsenal football shirts and computer contracts to debt recovery.

Recently he has acted for a Royal College seeking to protect its intellectual property rights and a government organisation in a claim against a multinational computer company.

James has also conducted a number of high-value arbitrations and appeared in several mediations. He has also acted for several claimants in Lands Tribunal cases concerning losses caused by gas and electricity lines crossing private land.

He has undertaken a number of cases concerning pharmaceutical licensing and police pensions and has in the past appeared before a number of professional disciplinary tribunals as well as a number of vehicle licensing matters.
- Scottish Widows Pc & others v Cherwell District Council & others [2013] EWHC 3968 (Admin)01 Jan 2018
- Assura Pharmacy Ltd, R (on the application of) v National Health Services Litigation Authority (Family Health Services Appeal Unit) [2008] EWCA Civ 135601 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers Appoints New Joint Heads of Chambers23 Jul 2025
Property
James advises on all aspects of property matters, including tenancies, rights of way, easements, commons and village greens.

He has particular experience in Compulsory Purchase work, including compensation work. He has appeared for the NFU on the HS2 Bill raising a large and varied number of such issues arising out of the compulsory purchase of large areas of farmland and has acted for several landowners seeking compensation for loss of development opportunity by reason of gas pipelines and electricity lines.
- Birmingham CC v. Oakley [2001] 1 A.C. 61701 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers Appoints New Joint Heads of Chambers23 Jul 2025

About James

Directory quotes
- Planning – “James Findlay KC operates a substantial planning practice in Scotland, as well as in England and Wales. He is particularly adept at dealing with controversial or complex cases with a high profile. His work for local authorities often concerns housing or energy projects. Challenges to local plans form a key area of his work. He also represents developers and other interested parties.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- Planning – “James has a superb legal brain combined with an easygoing manner, which makes for incredibly effective advocacy.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- Local Government – “James Findlay KC garners significant praise for his knowledge of administrative and public law, local government and environmental matters. He habitually handles judicial reviews and statutory appeals at many of the highest courts in the UK, including the Supreme Court.” Chambers and Partners 2026
- “James is hugely responsive and supportive. Clients love him – he’s practical and commercial, and they know he is fighting for them. He’s very persuasive on his feet.” Legal 500 2026
- Planning – “James is thorough in his preparation. He gives good, pragmatic advice.” Legal 500 2026
- Planning – “James is very client-friendly, commercial and good on his feet.” Chambers and Partners 2025
- Licensing – “James is excellent.” Chambers and Partners 2025
- Planning – “Approachable, articulate and in control in court and confidence-inspiring.” Legal 500 2025
- Licensing – “Extremely well-prepared and effective as an advocate. Always calm under pressure and very persuasive.” Legal 500 2025
Associations
- Planning and Environment Bar Association (PEBA)
- Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)
- National Infrastructure Planning Association (NIPA)
- United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA)
Publications
- Information Rights: A Practitioner’s Guide to Data Protection, Freedom of Information and other Information Rights 6th ed21 Sep 2023
- Cornerstone on the Planning Court29 Oct 2015
Events