James Yap

James is a litigator in Toronto specializing in business and human rights. He has published several scholarly articles on the subject, and has spoken at various venues in Canada and beyond, including the University of Toronto, the Université de Montréal, Columbia University, the United Nations, and the House of Lords. He was co-counsel for the plaintiffs in Araya v. Nevsun Resources Ltd., a claim involving allegations of slavery, torture, forced labour, and crimes against humanity at a Canadian-owned gold mine in Eritrea that was settled in October 2020..

James holds a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School, where he graduated with various class prizes and the Silver Medal, and a Master of Laws from Yale Law School. After completing his JD he clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada for Justice Ian Binnie.

James is President of Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) and also sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council for International Law (CCIL) .