James Hope is a dual-qualified Swedish Advokat and English Solicitor-Advocate, with over 30 years’ experience of working as a dispute resolution lawyer.  He started his career as a solicitor in Scotland and then spent ten years in London – at Simmons & Simmons and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom – before moving to Stockholm in 2006.

James has acted as counsel or arbitrator in more than 100 international arbitration cases, including inter alia under LCIA, ICC, SCC, UNCITRAL, ICDR, Danish Institute of Arbitration, and Finnish Chamber of Commerce arbitration rules, as well as under ICSID. He is also a CEDR Accredited Mediator.

In addition to arbitration, James also has long experience of litigation from three different jurisdictions: Scotland, England and now Sweden.

As well as having a busy practice, James is a guest lecturer in arbitration at Stockholm and Uppsala universities. He is also co-chair of the research panel of arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution at the Stockholm Centre for Commercial Law (SCCL). He was previously a member of the LCIA Court, a member of the Board of the SCC Arbitration Institute, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Swedish Arbitration Association.

A selection of some current and recent cases - As arbitrator

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Finnish law: acting as co-arbitrator in an arbitration between Swedish and Finnish parties concerning nuclear waste (2025 - )

LCIA arbitration in London under English law: acting as co-arbitrator in an arbitration between Spanish and Swiss parties concerning a supply contract (2024 - )

SCC emergency arbitration: acted as an emergency arbitrator concerning a construction dispute between Russian and Swiss parties (2024)

LMAA arbitration in London under English law: acting as co-arbitrator in an arbitration between Swiss parties concerning trade law issues (2023 - )

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Romanian law: acted as co-arbitrator in an M&A arbitration between Danish and Romanian parties (2022 - 2023)

Ad hoc arbitration in Oslo under Norwegian law: acted as chair of the arbitral tribunal in an M&A arbitration between Norwegian and German parties (2022 - 2024)

ICC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acting as sole arbitrator in an arbitration between Russian and Hong Kong parties concerning an IT dispute (2022 - )

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Estonian law: acted as co-arbitrator in an arbitration between Finnish and Estonian parties (2022)

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under English law: acted as co-arbitrator in an arbitration between Russian and Italian parties concerning an IT dispute (2021 - 2023)

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acted as co-arbitrator in an arbitration between Kazakhstan and Hungarian companies concerning an IT dispute (2021 - 2023)

FAI (Finland Arbitration Institute) arbitration in Helsinki under Finnish law: acted as co-arbitrator in an arbitration concerning mobile telecommunications between Finnish and U.S. parties (2021 - 2022)

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under CISG: acted as co-arbitrator in an arbitration between English and UAE parties concerning sale of goods (2021 - 2022)

SCC emergency arbitration: acted as an emergency arbitrator concerning a financial transaction between Icelandic and Swedish parties (2021)

SCC emergency arbitration: acted as an emergency arbitrator concerning a construction dispute between Polish and Estonian parties (2021)

LCIA arbitration in London under English law: acting as co-arbitrator in an arbitration between two Ghanaian parties arising out of a drilling contract (2020 - )

SCC arbitration in London under English law: acted as sole arbitrator in an expedited arbitration between parties from Canada and Luxembourg (2020 - 2021)

SCC arbitration in London under English law: acted as sole arbitrator in an expedited arbitration between Chinese and Russian parties (2020 - 2021)

DIA (Danish Institute of Arbitration) arbitration in Copenhagen under Danish law: acted as president of the arbitral tribunal in an arbitration concerning the supply of technical services between German and Danish parties (2020)

ICC arbitration in Dubai under English law: acted as president of the arbitral tribunal in a large construction arbitration between Italian, Turkish and Spanish parties (2019 - 2022)

DIA (Danish Institute of Arbitration) arbitration in Aalborg under Danish law: acted as sole arbitrator in payment dispute between Danish and Canadian parties (2019 - 2020)

SCC emergency arbitration: acted as emergency arbitrator in a dispute between two Jersey entities (2019)

ICC arbitration in Oslo under Norwegian law: acted as president of the arbitral tribunal in a large construction arbitration between Spanish and Norwegian parties (2018 - 2020)

A selection of some current and recent cases - As counsel

Ex parte injunction proceedings before the Stockholm District Court: acting for an oil exploration company in a case concerning the termination of a joint venture (2024 - 2025)

Expedited arbitration before the Court of Arbitration for Sport: acting for the respondent in an arbitration concerning selection procedures for the 2024 Olympic Games (2024 - 2025)

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acting as counsel for the respondents in a contract case concerning allegations of non-disclosure and disloyal conduct (2024 - 2025)

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acting as counsel for the respondents in a case concerning alleged breach of a non-compete clause (2024)

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acting as counsel for Saudi Arabian parties in an arbitration concerning the supply of medical equipment (2023 - 2025)

Challenge proceedings in the Svea Court of Appeal: acting for a Kazakhstan company in challenging an arbitral award concerning a dispute with an Italian company (2023 - 2025)

Litigation in Nacka District Court: acting as counsel for the respondent in a dispute concerning a construction project outside Stockholm (2023 - )

ICC arbitration in Stockholm under English law: acted as counsel for a party from Azerbaijan in a construction arbitration concerning a multi-party dispute (2022 - 2025)

ICSID arbitration under a bilateral investment treaty: acting for a European State in defending a claim brought by an Asian telecoms company (2021 - )

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acted as counsel for the respondent in a dispute between Albanian and U.S. companies concerning sale of goods (2021)

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acted as counsel in an M&A dispute between Swedish and Finnish companies (2020 - 2021)

Litigation in the Swedish Patent and Market Court: cross-border litigation concerning a negative declaration in respect of competition law damages (2020)

Construction litigation in Solna District Court: acted as counsel for the contractor in a large and complex construction litigation (2019 - 2022)

Challenge proceedings in the Svea Court of Appeal concerning intra-EU investment treaty awards: acted for two different EU States in challenging intra-EU arbitral awards in light of the Achmea decision (2019 - 2024)

ICC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acted as counsel for a mobile phone manufacturer in a patent licensing dispute against a telecoms company (2018 - 2023)

SCC arbitration in Stockholm under Swedish law: acted as counsel for a large Swedish company in a patent and know-how licensing dispute (2018 - 2021)

Litigation in the Swedish Patent and Market Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court: cross-border litigation concerning a negative declaration in respect of competition law damages (2018 - 2020)