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Jim is a member of the Insurance Recovery and Shipping groups in Reed Smith’s Houston office. He has 40 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 in the energy, manufacturing, construction, and chemical sectors. Jim is frequently quoted on insurance matters in Law360.

Credenciales

  • Tulane Law School, 1984, J.D., cum laude
  • Wabash College, 1981, B.A.

  • Texas

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of Texas

  • Member, State Bar of Texas
    • Chair, Insurance Law Section (2015-2016)
    • Director, Advanced Insurance Law Course (2014)
  • Member, College of the State Bar of Texas
  • Member, American Bar Association
    • Co-Chair, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee’s 26th Annual Conference (2014)
    • Co-Chair, Emerging Insurance Coverage Issues Subcommittee (2009-2014)
    • Co-Chair, Products Liability Insurance Coverage Subcommittee (1999-2009)
  • Member, Houston Bar Association
    • Former Co-Chair, Historical Committee
    • Former Co-Chair, Professionalism Committee
  • Counselor/Vice President, Garland Walker Chapter of the American Inns of Court (Board member since 2000)
  • Nominating Committee, Texas Bar Foundation (2014-present)
  • Member, Board of Contributing Editors, LexisNexis Texas Annotated Insurance Code (2006-2014)
  • Founding Member, Houston Society of Policyholder Insurance Coverage Lawyers
  • Associate Member, Risk & Insurance Management Society
  • Faculty, Tulane Law School, Civil – Pre-Trial Litigation Intersession Boot Camp, 2016
  • Faculty, University of Texas Insurance Law Institute
  • Faculty & Former Course Director, State Bar of Texas Advanced Insurance Law Course
  • Former Faculty, South Texas College of Law Insurance Law Symposium
  • Proctor, Maritime Law Association of the United States (1986-present)
  • Former Faculty, The University of Texas Admiralty and Maritime Conference
  • Managing Editor, The Maritime Lawyer (1983-1984) (now known as Tulane Maritime Law Journal)

Premios y reconocimientos

  • Fellow, Lex Mercatoria with Dallas Insurance Law American Inn of Court (2025) 
  • Listed as a Leading Partner in The Legal 500 USA for Insurance: Advice to Policyholders (2025)
  • Fellow, American College of Coverage Counsel (since 2016)
  • Selected through peer review for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for Insurance Law (2014-2025) and named Lawyer of the Year for Houston Insurance Law (2019, 2025)
  • Band 1 ranking in Chambers USA for Texas Insurance (2016-2025) (ranked in Chambers since 2005) and Nationwide Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Policyholder (2024-2025)
  • Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list for Insurance Coverage (2006-2024)
  • Whos Who Legal: Insurance & Reinsurance (2024)
  • Guide to the Worlds Leading Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyers (2007-2015)
  • AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ (1995-2024)
  • 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, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
  • 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

  • Deacon, West University Baptist Church (2013-present)
  • Board Member, Casa El Buen Samaritano (2014-2015)