The Hon James Allsop AC is an international arbitrator and mediator. He also accepts appointments as early neutral evaluator, chair of inquiries and legal expert.
James has over 40 years’ experience as a commercial lawyer, 20 as Counsel and Senior Counsel at the Australian Bar, 22 years as a Judge and later Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia and President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal.
James has wide experience in and knowledge of commercial law and commercial contracts generally and, in particular, insurance and reinsurance, maritime, Admiralty and transportation, energy and infrastructure, banking and finance, company law, shareholder and partnership matters, intellectual property, insolvency, taxation, competition and anti-trust.
He also has experience in common law, in particular professional negligence of auditors, solicitors and insurance brokers.
James was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2023 for eminent service to the judiciary and to the law, to organisational and technological reform, to legal education, and to insolvency law. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2013.
James was appointed as an International Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court in 2024.
James was named ‘Arbitrator of the Year’ at the Australian ADR Awards 2026.
Note: For the purposes of practice in Australia, James’s liability is limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.