James graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh. He then spent four years in mixed practice in Yorkshire, looking after horses, farm animals, dogs, and cats. In 2004, he embarked on a journey of multiple back-to-back breeding seasons in the Southern and Northern hemispheres, working with specialists in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. James lectures regularly on the national and international stage and has published on the breeding soundness examination of the stallion and mares, peripartum problems in mares, and conditions in foals. In 2014, James became an honorary lecturer at Liverpool University. In 2017, he joined the Editorial Board of UK-Vet Equine and acts as an external consultant to the Rainbow Equine Hospital Laboratory. James is a member of the ESER-2024 Scientific Committee.

James will contribute to the ISEOI Symposium & ESER Symposium