Kingsley Napley has hired partner James Glaysher from London boutique Candey to head up a new international arbitration practice. 

Glaysher is moving across to the London-based independent firm after three years at Candey, bringing institutional links that promise to add value to the nascent practice’s offering.  

He has acted as counsel in proceedings under all the major arbitral rules, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC).

Kingsley Napley put its hire of Glaysher down to the growing popularity of arbitration among its clients. 

“Increasingly, our clients have disputes with international parties where a neutral dispute resolution forum makes sense,” said head of disputes Richard Foss, who added that more clients were also keen to avoid the delays and transparency that come with UK court litigation.

Aside from his time at Candey, Glaysher’s professional journey also includes significant tenures at Akin Gump, where he spent over four years, leaving as counsel, and Dechert, where he trained and qualified, clocking up a total of six years at the firm including a stint in Dubai. 

Glaysher is the second arbitration partner to leave Candey in just over a year following the departure in April 2023 of Paul Kinninmont for Freeths. However, the arrival of Emma-Louise Moens as a partner in May from New York boutique Walsh Guevara, where she was a counsel, offset that exit. 

Meanwhile, Glaysher’s arrival at Kingsley Napley comes as it bids farewell to veteran public law partner Adam Chapman, who retired last week having joined the firm in 2010 from the Treasury Solicitors’ Department, now part of the Government Legal Service. 

In January this year, the firm hired former general counsel to the Prime Minister, Lord Carter, and senior government lawyer Natalie Cohen, bolstering the public law offering that Chapman founded. 

Other former government lawyers hired by the firm include former senior partner Stephen Parkinson, who became Director of Public Prosecutions last September.

In March last year, the firm added partner Melanie Hart from Ince to launch an IP disputes practice.