James Bagge

  • A specialist in financial crime and the regulation of investment and banking business, James Bagge is an absolute leader in corporate governance.

    Overview 

    As an Honorary Member of Chambers, James Bagge acts in a number of advisory and consultancy roles.  He uses the expertise he has developed from a career at the bar practising in corporate crime and his subsequent experience as partner and Global Head of Dispute Resolution at Norton Rose, to provide outstanding advice and support.  James is not practising as a barrister.

    Experience 

    James’ specialist area was fraud and the regulation of investment and banking business, in particular all forms of investigations, statutory or private, and associated legal proceedings involving the FCA, the SFO and revenue authorities. James was one of the lead partners on the corporate governance initiative at Norton Rose where he remained a consultant until recently.  The legal directories identified him as “an absolute leader in this field”.

    James’ previous experience includes advising the Board of Banking Supervision on the Barings Inquiry and acting as lead adviser to Ronnie Baird who compiled a report into the FSA’s conduct of the regulation of Equitable Life. Both these reports were published in Parliament. He has acted for a number of leading financial institutions. More generally he acted for the Trustees of the Thyssen Bornemisza Trust in the highly publicised litigation in Bermuda. James was one of the lead partners on the corporate governance initiative at Norton Rose. James acted for a large pharmaceutical company prosecuted with others by the Serious Fraud Office for its alleged involvement in cartel activity with regard to the supply of generic drugs to the NHS.

    James began his legal career practising at the Criminal Bar, before being seconded to the Serious Fraud Office for two years where he was involved in the prosecution of Guinness and the investigation of Barlow Clowes. He joined Norton Rose in 1990, became a partner in 1993, and on retirement as a partner was invited to remain in a consultancy capacity.

    James was a member of the FSA External Lawyers Consultative Group. He sat for 18 years as a legal assessor on the Disciplinary Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

    James authored the Financial Services Decisions Digest published by Lexis Nexis in 2007.

    Since his retirement as a partner of Norton Rose in 2008, James has developed a board evaluation business, Bvalco, drawing on his experience in corporate governance issues and working with specialists in behavioural sciences. He has also been appointed a risk advisor to the Central Bank of Ireland.

    Notable Cases

    Acting for the Administrators of the Maxwell Communications plc (1991)

    Acting for the Board of Banking Supervision on the Barings Enquiry (1995)

    Acting for LIFFE on various market investigations (1997)

    Investigating and reporting on the FSA's regulation of Equitable Life (2001)

    Lead Partner on the defence team acting for the Trustees of the Thyssen Bornemisza Trust (1997)

    Lead Partner on the defence team acting for Ranbaxy in relation to one of the largest prosecutions by the Serious Fraud Office successfully defended as a consequence of an interlocutory appeal to the House of Lords (2002)

    Appointments

    • 2017-18 High Sheriff of Norfolk
    • 2008-2011 Risk adviser to Central Bank of Ireland 
    • 2000-2008: Member of the FSA Lawyers Consultative Group
    • 1990-2008: Legal Assessor to the Institute of Chartered Accountants Disciplinary Tribunal
    • Norton Rose: 2004-2007: Global Head of Dispute Resolution
    • Team Leader of the Insurance and Regulatory Dispute Resolution Group
    • 2001-2004: London Departmental Head of Dispute Resolution

    Professional Memberships

    • Lincoln’s Inn