Jim is a top trial lawyer, with experience as first chair in more than 30 jury cases and numerous bench trials. He handles complex business and civil litigation through mediation, arbitration and trial. His practice has included complex contract and tort claims in healthcare, agriculture, mutual funds, hedge funds, telecommunications, banking, manufacturing, distribution, securities and other industries. Jim also has handled many cases based on misappropriation of trade secrets and non-competes. He has recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements for businesses in commercial disputes. Jim's experience handling class actions includes those involving real estate closing practices, medical monitoring, insurance claims practices, hospital pricing to uninsured patients, natural gas measurement, gasoline measurement, airline ticketing practices, price fixing, municipal bond fraud and others. He also represents companies and shareholders in shareholder disputes.
Jim has handled complex product liability claims for a variety of products, including automobile equipment, asbestos, beryllium, pesticides, medical devices, gas turbines, farm equipment and cigarette products. In addition, he defends engineers and lawyers in cases alleging professional negligence and has served as expert witness in legal malpractice cases.
Awards & Recognitions
· American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
· Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star
· The Best Lawyers in America, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, 1995-2012
· Chambers USA, General Commercial Litigator (Missouri), Band One, 2011
· Kansas City Business Journal, "Best of the Bar," 2002-present
· Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
· Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Top 100, Business Litigation Law; Top 50 Super Lawyer, Kansas City
Professional Associations & Memberships
· Defense Research Institute
· Earl E. O'Connor American Inn of Court, Barrister, 1993-1996; Master, 2000-2004
· Kansas Bar Association
Experience
· Co-counsel for Doug Lake, former senior executive of Westar Energy, in high-profile white-collar criminal case. Government dismissed case prior to trial.
· Represented hedge fund manager in arbitration in Los Angeles - won significant victory, defeating $25 million claim
· One of three lead defense counsel in nationwide class action alleging mismeasurement of natural gas - defeated class certification
· Performed independent investigation of allegations of wrongdoing made by in-house lawyers of large privately held company
· Lead defense counsel in case under the Investment Company Act of 1940 alleging excessive mutual fund fees
· Defended and obtained directed verdict for construction manager alleged to have safety responsibility
· Obtained summary judgment defending hospital in qui tam case alleging Medicare fraud
· Successfully defended general partner in a petroleum pipeline alleged to have engaged in self dealing in breach of fiduciary duties proving the "entire fairness" of the transaction
· Represented large hog producers claiming fraud in processing of hog carcasses and price manipulation
· Obtained multimillion-dollar settlement in class action alleging fraud in insurance marketing
News & Publications
News
2.17.12, Husch Blackwell Wins $2.1 Million Arbitration Award
11.22.11, Husch Blackwell Recognized by Benchmark Litigation 2012 in Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska
10.19.11, Super Lawyers 2011 Names 71 Husch Blackwell Attorneys from Missouri and Nebraska; an Additional 15 Listed as Rising Stars
9.26.11, Kansas City Business Journal Names 10 Husch Blackwell Attorneys to 2011 Best of the Bar
9.6.11, More Than 100 Husch Blackwell Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers 2012
6.13.11, Husch Blackwell Receives High Rankings, Praise from Clients in Chambers USA 2011
10.13.10, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers 2010 Names 64 Husch Blackwell Attorneys; An Additional 20 Listed as Rising Stars
10.4.10, Benchmark Litigation Recognizes Husch Blackwell as a Highly Recommended Firm
9.29.10, Husch Blackwell Attorneys Named Best of the Bar by Kansas City Business Journal
9.2.10, Husch Blackwell Secures Dismissal of Corporate Fraud Charges Against Client
10.22.09, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers 2009 Names 73 Husch Blackwell Sanders Attorneys
10.1.09, Benchmark Litigation Recognizes Husch Blackwell Sanders as a Highly Recommended Firm
9.24.08, Husch Blackwell Sanders Attorneys Named Best of the Bar by Kansas City Business Journal
Publications
2.1.02, An Analysis of the Admissibility of Expert Opinion Testimony in Kansas State Courts After Kuhn v. Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, The Journal
11.1.01, Class Action Trials Commonly Deprive Defendants of Due Process, Washington Legal Foundation
6.1.96, Using Daubert to Exclude Expert Opinions on Ultimate Issues, Defense Research Institute, For the Defense
1.1.96, Courts Must Vigorously Scrutinize Testimony by Professional Experts, Washington Legal Foundation, and Mealey's Daubert Report, Volume 1, Issue 1
6.1.94, A Review of the Kansas Comparative Fault Act, Journal of the Kansas Bar Association
Events
12.1.10, Financial Reform Legislation Updates for Financial Institutions
Kanas City, MO
Seminar
3.1.01, Admissibility of Expert Testimony in Kansas State Court after Kuhn, Kansas Bar Association statewide seminar
Speaking Engagement