James T. (Tim) Shearin is a member of the firm's Executive Committee and chair of the Litigation Department. He has wide-ranging experience in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate levels, and before arbitration and mediation boards. He represents clients in the areas of commercial, intellectual property, Internet piracy and computer crimes, banking, securities, antitrust, civil rights, products liability and general civil litigation.
Tim has lectured and written on the following: the constitutionality of Connecticut's Prejudgment Remedy Statute, "ins and outs" of civil forfeitures, lender-liability law, federal discovery rules, implications of expert disclosure in federal court, limitations of technical advancements in the practice of law, rules and practices governing the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, the means by which to secure federal judgments, medical malpractice liability for HMOs, defense of covenant not to compete cases, Markman hearings, the federal jurisdiction of national banks, federal court practice and procedure, expert witnesses, settlement conferences and mediation in the federal court, case management and the art of written and oral advocacy.
Representative Experience
· Defended companies in class action and shareholder derivative plaintiff cases with antitrust, securities, corporate finance and fiduciary duty claims
· Defended company accused of $9,000,000 worth of fraudulent Medicaid billing
· Assisted with the defense of a company indicted for price fixing
· Defended company in $22,000,000 veil piercing and fraudulent transfer case
· Prosecuted and defended patent infringement, copyright, trademark and misappropriation of trade secrets cases
· Defended claims alleging unfair trade practice, Lanham Act and licensing claims
· Frequently chosen as a private arbitrator or mediator in complex commercial cases
· Represented both individuals and businesses in litigation brought to recover severance and pension benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
· Arrested, attached and seized major shipping vessels and cargo pursuant to the prosecution of admiralty and maritime suits
Professional Affiliations
Appointed Co-counsel to the Federal Grievance Committee by the Judges of the U.S. District Court, 1997 - 2003
American Bar Association
Connecticut Bar Association - Executive Committee, Federal Practice Section (former co-chairman); Executive Committee, Intellectual Property Section; chairman, Audit Committee; co-chairman, Fair and Impartial Courts Committee; member, Legal Services for the Poor Committee
Connecticut Bar Association House of Delegates
Raymond Baldwin Inn of Court - bencher, former secretary and vice president
Connecticut Bar Foundation - treasurer and Fellow
Law Firm Alliance - Executive Committee
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association
Federal Circuit Bar Association
Federal Bar Council
Greater Bridgeport Bar Association - past president
Superior Court attorney trial referee and arbitrator
Special master in Federal Court
Community Involvement
American Red Cross - past director
Connecticut Legal Services Corp. - past chairman
Graduate, Bridgeport Regional Business Council's Leadership Program and a past member of its board of directors
University of Connecticut Law School Alumni Association, Inc. - past president
University of Connecticut Law School Foundation, Inc. - past chairman
Weston Democratic Town Committee - past chairperson
Active in state and local politics
Honors & Awards
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of litigation - securities, antitrust, banking and finance, intellectual property and commercial litigation
Listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers to Businesses in the area of litigation: general commercial since 2004
Selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list from 2006 to 2011/2012 in the area of business litigation; listed among the Top 10 Connecticut Super Lawyers 2011/2012 and among the Top 50 Connecticut Super Lawyers 2010, 2011.
Recognized among the top Connecticut litigation attorneys in 2011 and 2012 in Benchmark Litigation - The Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys
Recipient of John Eldred Shields Professional Service Award from the Connecticut Bar Association, 2009, for outstanding service to the legal profession, the members of the CBA and the greater community
Clerkship(s)
Law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Peter C. Dorsey, 1986 to 1988