Education

Cornell Law School, J.D.; Cuccia Cup Moot Court Champion

University of Pittsburgh, B.A., cum laude

Experience

  • Jim assisted with the defense of recent MPC matters including:
  • Took a leading role in a team charged with managing a two pronged UK litigation, arising out of an error in handling an escrowed settlement. The member firm faced a significant claim from its former client. Jim’s role largely involved liaison with numerous excess and reinsurers based in the US, Caribbean and Europe. Jim also coordinated the funding of a complicated three phase settlement and managed the provision of reports by counsel.
  • Defense and settlement of one of a large claim arising out of the collapse of a number of Cayman Islands domiciled investment funds. The case involved a number of claimants in various jurisdictions and a number of defense firms. Jim took a lead role in facilitating communications among a large group of lawyers and insurers and coordinated the funding of a pair of large settlements.
  • Jim coordinated the management of a proceeding conducted in bankruptcy court in southwest Germany. His role entailed direct liaison with multiple excess insurance companies, expert witnesses and multiple defense counsel firms, as well as in ensuring that accurate translations were obtained for proceedings conducted in German.
  • Jim acted as part of a management team that led the defense of a very rapidly developing malpractice case in Los Angeles Superior Court. The case went from filing to a successful mediation within a very short time. The management group obtained reports from defense counsel, conducted focus group exercises and held multiple tele-conferences with worldwide insurers, before the case resolved early in the litigation process.

Admissions

Pennsylvania, 1989

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1990

Vermont, 1991

U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont, 1992

Memberships & Activities

Defense Research Institute

Pennsylvania Bar Association

ABA Standing Committee on Attorney Malpractice

Vermont Bar Association

Community Involvement

Former Burlington Country Club, Director

Former Scoutmaster

Former Volunteer Sports Coach

Former Justice of the Peace

Presentations

Speaker, Current Trends, American Bar Association Fall 2011 National Legal Malpractice Conference (San Francisco, California, September 14-16, 2011)

Regular panelist at claims/risk management seminars of MPC Insurance.