James Meredith is a criminal barrister with a rapidly developing practice in serious crime and extradition. He appears regularly in the Crown Court, Court of Appeal, and High Court, achieving strong results in cases involving firearms, serious violence, fraud, money laundering, and complex extradition proceedings.
James acts in extradition proceedings at both first instance and on appeal, with experience of requests from Germany, Latvia, Poland, and Romania. He has successfully advanced High Court appeals on issues of warrant deficiencies, proportionality, and prison conditions in requesting states.
Alongside his extradition work, James is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in serious and complex criminal cases, reflecting his balanced and versatile advocacy practice. Recent highlights include securing consecutive Crown Court acquittals through meticulous case preparation and the strategic use of expert evidence. As a Grade 2 CPS Panel Advocate, he is trusted to prosecute multi-handed drugs conspiracies and violent robberies.
Before coming to the Bar, James worked at Bindmans LLP, assisting the defence in a £23m VAT fraud trial, and later at the Competition and Markets Authority, where he prepared judicial reviews in merger and market-investigation litigation and prosecuted consumer protection and director disqualification cases. This experience underpins his meticulous approach to trial preparation and his ability to collaborate effectively with instructing solicitors.
James welcomes instructions in serious criminal trials and extradition proceedings, both at first instance and on appeal.
Notable Cases
S & I v Latvia, ongoing
James represents the Appellant in the lead case on Latvian prison conditions, having secured permission to appeal on all grounds advanced, including proportionality per se under s.21A(1)(b) of the Extradition Act 2003. Judgment is awaited in what is expected to become a key authority.
The High Court of Justice (Administrative Court)
Extradition AppealsR v R, 2025
James represented a defendant charged with possessing a weapon designed or adapted for the discharge of a noxious substance and possessing prohibited ammunition. Following a guilty plea to possession of a prohibited weapon, James advanced substantial mitigation on the client’s behalf and secured a conditional discharge.
Wood Green Crown Court
FirearmsR v A, 2025
James secured an acquittal after a successful half-time submission of no case to answer, following a precise and effective cross-examination of the complainant. During questioning, the complainant accepted he could not be sure that the person he had recognised moments before the assault was the same individual who attacked and strangled him. As a result, the client was acquitted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation.
Canterbury Crown Court
R v B, 2025
James secured acquittals on five of eight counts, including charges of threatening another person in a private place with a bladed article and intentional strangulation. The client was released on licence, having already served half of his sentence on remand from prison for the remaining less serious offences.
St. Albans Crown Court
R v B, 2025
James represented a Defendant charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker. Although the alleged assaults appeared clear on the officers’ body-worn footage, James successfully advanced a case of self-defence without calling the client to give evidence, securing acquittals on both counts.
Chelmsford Crown Court sitting at the Central Criminal Court
ViolenceR v B, 2025
James represented a youth defendant with severe learning difficulties charged with possessing a samurai sword in a public place. He successfully advanced the modern slavery defence under section 45(4) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, securing the client’s acquittal.
Bromley Youth Court
Youths
Achievements
- Active contributor to The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, having performed in three plays with the Inner Temple Drama Society
- DELF (Defence Extradition Lawyers Forum)
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Winner, John Jones KC Essay Competition 2023-2024
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Runner-up, Cameron Brown KC Criminal Advocacy Prize (awarded to the best pupil barrister in Crime on the Inner Temple Advocacy Course) 2023-2024
- Law LLB (Hons), University of Manchester
- LLM Legal Practice, BPP University
- Bar Professional Training Course, BPP University
- As an adventurous spirit with interests in high-altitude mountaineering, scuba diving, salsa, and other sports, James brings a unique blend of resilience, strategic thinking, and adaptability to his legal practice.