Prior to  joining Masters, James worked for a prestigious, multi-office costs consultancy since 2012, dealing with costs issues across a broad spectrum of legal areas, including commercial claims, property disputes, employment matters, high value personal injury claims, clinical negligence, mesothelioma, and housing disputes, and dealt with costs in all courts, including the Supreme Court.

James graduated from the University of Manchester in 2011, having studied Law with Politics (LLB), and spent a year travelling in Australia and South East Asia prior to starting his costs career.