James joined the Citizens Advice office in Wavertree, as a volunteer adviser, in 2004. He immediately realised the importance of free advice to people’s lives and never really left! James went on to work at other Citizens Advice offices, and for national Citizens Advice, for more than 10 years.

 

After becoming a Law Lecturer at the School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool, James continued as Trustee of Citizens Advice Liverpool. At the university, he lead an ‘access to justice’ module and place students as volunteers. Access to free legal advice is central to his research, for example, a research project funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, investigating the impact of legal aid cuts on access to justice and people’s lives. James' research co-founded Liverpool Access to Advice Network in partnership with Professor Jennifer Sigafoos.