James Douglas began his writing career as a journalist for a Swiss newspaper, while he studied civil and criminal law in Berne. He then practiced as defense lawyer and in-house counsel to financial institutions before he established himself as prominent business attorney in Zurich. His first best-selling novel Brennpunkt Philadelphia (Ullstein, Berlin 1994) was soon published as Zero Philadelphia in New York. Then followed Breathless to Casablanca, that anticipated the 9/11 attacks, Operation Cinderella (2015) an amazing plot, and Operation Snowdrop in 2020. The former Colonel of the armor corps, security and intelligence expert was dubbed The Swiss Tom Clancy. Under a different name James Douglas acted in and co-produced a Ken Russell film MINDBENDER inspired by the life of internationally renowned psychic Uri Geller. He has also authored the German hot sellers Brennpunkt Philadelphia, Goldauge, Der Sintfluter, Atemlos nach Casablanca, Des Teufels Botschafter, Bundesratlos, Operation Cinderella, Eiskalt, Gewagtes Spiel, Bomben Geschäfte, Tote Leben Länger, Zu früh zum Sterben, Feuersturm, und Der Fall Amos.
Zero Philadelphia was adapted by Cameron Docherty for a major motion picture with Steve Perry as producer and director Stuart Baird and was set up at Paramount. Pre-production was stopped after the 9/11 attacks. Breathless to Casablanca was written and published a year before the attacks of September 11, 2001, and critics called it «amazingly and eerily prophetic».
Swiss Television on James Douglas in New York (Denise Langenegger)