Jim is a member of the Insurance Recovery and Shipping groups in Reed Smith’s Houston office. He has more than 35 years of experience handling multimillion-dollar insurance coverage disputes through litigation or arbitration, many involving commercial property and business interruption losses, claims for D&O, professional liability, commercial general liability, builder’s risk, and pollution coverage, including the energy, manufacturing, construction, and chemical sectors. Jim also handles complex commercial litigation in the shipping industry, including charter party disputes, damage to international shipments of cargo, vessel arrests and claims involving maritime liens. He has extensive experience prosecuting and defending maritime arrest and attachment claims under U.S. Admiralty Rules B, C and D.
Credentials
Awards & Recognition
- Fellow, American College of Coverage Counsel (since 2016)
- Selected through peer review for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for Insurance Law, 2014-2024. Named "Lawyer of the Year" in 2019 for Houston Insurance
- Ranked in Chambers USA for Texas Insurance (2016-2023) (ranked in Chambers since 2005)
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list for Insurance Coverage (2006 – 2023)
- Who's Who Legal: Insurance & Reinsurance (2021)
- Guide to the World's Leading Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyers (2007 - 2015)
- AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell® PEER REVIEW RATINGS™ (1995 - 2022)
- Texas Lawyer Insurance Section of the Year (2014)
- Garland Walker American Inn of Court Outstanding Service Award (2015)
- National Program Awards, American Inns of Court (2004, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015)
- President’s Award recognizing outstanding service as Chair of Houston Bar Association’s Historical Committee (2013)
- Jim D. Bowmer Professionalism Award from the College of the State Bar of Texas (2012) (highest professionalism award from the Texas State Bar)
- President’s Award recognizing outstanding service as Chair of Houston Bar Association’s Professionalism Committee (2010)
Civic Involvement
- 2013 - present - Deacon, West University Baptist Church
- 2014 - 2015 - Board Member, Casa El Buen Samaritano