James started working at Austin-Smith:Lord in 2018 as a Landscape Architect. He has an undergraduate degree in Architecture, an MA in Landscape Architecture and is a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute. This academic pathway helped him understand the importance of promoting a holistic approach to design from an early stage. During his final MA year, he studied at Copenhagen University, which provided him with the opportunity to explore Scandinavian design and culture.

James has worked on a variety of high-profile schemes during his professional practice, including heritage-based projects for the National Trust and a number of significant brownfield regeneration developments. He has experience of conducting Landscape Visual Impact Assessments in England and Wales and design-led projects from inception to completion. He prides himself on his attention to detail and ability to clearly communicate design proposals in 2D and 3D formats.