James graduated from the University of Melbourne with Honors in 2005. Following graduation, he worked for 12 months in a busy small animal general practice. He then completed two, twelve-month internships in both Small Animal Oncology and Small Animal Surgery along with a three year American College of Veterinary Surgeons residency program under the direction of Dr Charles Kuntz. In 2010 James achieved membership to the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists Internal Medicine Chapter. In 2013 he became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons by passing the certification examinations on his first attempt, this makes James one of the first wholly Australian trained small animal surgeons to pass this examination. In 2015 James became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons. James is now registered as a specialist in small animal surgery in Victoria and is an internship director and surgical residency advisor for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. James has published on gastrointestinal and urogenital surgery and oncology and has presented many times at the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, Science Week. He is actively involved in teaching students and veterinarians and is an instructor and lecturer for a variety of post-graduate education courses in surgery. James has recently become further involved with the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists and is an examiner for the Fellowship examinations in Small Animal Surgery. Passing the College Fellowship exam is part of the requirements for registration as a Veterinary Specialist in Australia. James is particularly interested in orthopaedic and neurologic surgery and is a co-director and owner of Southpaws.