Hawkins & Associates
James Townsend is a seasoned Senior Associate Forensic Investigator at Hawkins & Associates, specializing in forensic investigation services related to plant pathology, agriculture, and horticulture for the insurance industry since March 2022. Previously, James served as an Applied Plant Pathologist at Berry Gardens Growers Ltd, focusing on disease diagnostics and management strategies for various berries. Experience also includes project management in plant pathology research at Stockbridge Technology Centre, research technician roles at the University of Warwick and Rothamsted Research, and earlier positions in laboratory analysis and research assistance. James holds a BSc in Applied Biology from Brunel University London and has acquired further qualifications in expert witnessing, postharvest technologies, molecular biology, and fungal biodiversity.
Hawkins & Associates
Hawkins is a multi-disciplinary forensic practice established in 1980 with offices in the United Kingdom, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore. We work primarily with the insurance, loss adjusting, risk management and legal professions providing specialist pre-loss risk assessment, forensic root cause analysis, expert witness services, post-loss remediation and prevention advice. We have a team of over 100 forensic engineers and scientists who can investigate a wide range of losses including fires, explosions, road traffic accidents, personal injuries, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, power generation, marine and contamination issues and many more. We are industry leaders with proven expertise and practical experience, married with a real awareness of our clients’ needs. We offer a rapid response, attending the scene immediately if required. A preliminary report is produced within three days of the scene visit, setting out the most probable cause and a proposed strategy for further investigation. Our reporting is flexible and can be tailored to your needs, depending on the scale and urgency of the investigation. Our services range from a free consultation through to a full investigation where required to formulate a clear and impartial report for the support of legal action.