James joined Willis Legal in September 2026 as a Solicitor in the Property and Commercial team.

His path into property and commercial law began with the work he was given early in his career, and he quickly came to value how directly these areas shape people's lives and businesses.

Property law often comes with major milestones, buying a first home, relocating to Manawatū, Horowhenua or Hawke's Bay, or investing for the future, and James enjoys helping clients through those moments with confidence. He's especially proud of helping first-home buyers and newcomers to New Zealand achieve home ownership and settle into the region they now call home.

For commercial clients, he likes getting to know the business and how it runs, so he can offer practical, easy-to-understand solutions and let owners get on with what they do best.

James holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Victoria University of Wellington and is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. He also holds a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng), which sharpens his analytical approach to complex transactions and unfamiliar industries.

Born in China, James calls Hawke's Bay home. Having worked in the region before, he has long-standing community ties and is glad to be back building both his career and connections here.

Outside work, he's a keen linguist, fluent in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese, and currently learning Korean, and enjoys goalkeeping in soccer, table tennis, pickleball and getting involved locally.

Personal Assistant: Wendy Apperley