Jim has had substantial experience in litigation involving construction contracts, business and commercial disputes, insurance coverage, toxic torts, environmental property damage, personal injury, and other litigation matters.

Jim has used his technical background - a physics degree from Princeton University and five years' engineering employment with McDonnell Douglas Corporation (now Boeing) prior to law school - in litigation with technical aspects.

Jim is board certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Jim is certified as a mediator.

Jim's representative experience includes:

• Represented a third party defendant boiler construction company in a substantial commercial claim arising out of the design and construction of a large industrial boiler.
  
  
• Worked on defense of airplane manufacturer in patent infringement claim asserted against it and others involving alleged internet patent.
  
  
• Defended construction contractor in suit by subcontractor over airport paving contract.
  
  
• Worked on defense of insurance coverage claims asserted by major breast implant manufacturer against client insurance companies and other insurers; main case was settled as trial was starting; later participated in successful appeal in Fifth Circuit involving abstention and arbitration issues with respect to related claim asserted by one client insurer in federal court.
  
  
• Defended silica producer in multi-plaintiff suit alleging silica exposure during electronic chip manufacturing caused plaintiffs to have scleroderma.
  
  
• Defended pipeline company in breach of contract claim by directional drilling contractor.
  
  
• Defended lessor of oil field frac tank in personal injury lawsuit alleging frac tank was defectively designed; lessor and co-defendant manufacturer obtained take nothing verdict.
  
  
• Defended utility company in numerous premises liability asbestos lawsuits asserted against utility company and other defendants; participated in mediations and numerous settlements.

Jim is a member of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel and the Defense Research Institute.

Jim attended Princeton University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Physics in 1964.

He graduated from The University of Texas School of Law, LL.B. with honors in 1971.

He was admitted to practice in Texas in 1972. He is also admitted to practice in the Federal District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas and in the Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals.

Jim practices primarily in the firm's office in Beaumont.

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