Admitted to Bar: 1996

Appointed Senior Counsel: 2009

Floor Member Since: 1997

James Lockhart is an experienced commercial silk, representing a broad range of clients in trials and appeals. James is recognised as a leading commercial silk in:

• Chambers & Partners 2023 (Asia-Pacific and Global) barrister rankings for Dispute Resolution

• Best Lawyers Australia 2025 list published by the Australian Financial Review in the Commercial Law, Litigation, and Class Action Litigation categories

• the Legal 500 as a leading silk in commercial disputes.

James regularly appears in superior courts and tribunals for clients including banks, insurance companies, liquidators, superannuation trustees, and major multinationals. His clients past and present include Qantas, KPMG, Westpac, ANZ, Ramsay Health Care, Hancock Prospecting, Deloitte, REST Super, Allianz, AON and liquidators (e.g. Bell Group, HIH group and Babcock & Brown).

Practice areas include: complex commercial disputes; competition and regulatory; corporations (including schemes of arrangement); insolvency; professional liability; and property and equity disputes.

He regularly conducts cases at trial level as well as on appeal. He has experience in class actions, as well as in private arbitrations.

Examples of current and recent proceedings can be found via the CV link below.