James Richards

James Richards is a seasoned legal and compliance professional with extensive experience in the pub and hospitality sectors. Currently serving as the Director of Legal Operations and Code Compliance Officer at Stonegate Group since October 2021, James oversees legal and compliance functions while managing a team of Commercial Estate Managers. Prior to this role, James held various positions at Punch Pubs & Co from June 2006 to October 2021, including Head of Legal & Compliance and Head of Compliance, where responsibilities included ensuring adherence to legislative and regulatory standards and acting as a liaison with government bodies. James holds an LLB and LLM from Nottingham Law School as well as an LLB from Nottingham Trent University, and an MSc with distinction in Real Estate and Property Management from The University of Salford.