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Jim is a Director at Coats Rose, and leads a team of litigators in the toxic tort and environmental practice group. Jim served the U.S. Marines 1971-1972, and upon graduation from law school, he practiced in all fields of law, trying cases in family, criminal, bankruptcy and contract law. He joined Coats Rose in 1985. During his tenure at Coats Rose, he has primarily practiced in the area of toxic tort and environmental litigation but also has tried insurance coverage as well as general liability personal injury cases.
His team has experience in defending clients in all aspects of environmental law. Jim and his team keep up to date on the latest medical, epidemiological and scientific literature by annually attending Defense Research Institute seminars and other seminars dealing with asbestos, benzene and chemical exposures. Jim has hands-on experience in successfully deposing experts regarding work place exposure, industrial hygiene, epidemiology and medical issues as well as pollution and waste discharge issues.
Practice Emphasis
Jim specializes in toxic tort and environmental litigation, representing major manufacturers in various types of toxic tort litigation in Texas and across the country. He currently serves as the National Counsel for a chemical products manufacturer in benzene litigation; regional counsel for a major manufacturer in asbestos litigation; and as Texas counsel for several another clients in silica litigation. He also has significant experience in personal injury suits involving welding rods, mercury, isocyanates, trichlorethylene, coke, oil field fluids, mold, manganese, arsine gas, and hydrogen sulfide. He also represents clients in Superfund (CERCLA) litigation and environmental property damage claims including litigation involving perchlorethylene (dry-cleaning fluids) and the Brio toxic waste site in Harris County, Texas.
During his career, Jim has tried several toxic tort cases to a verdict including: an asbestos suit with a living mesothelioma plaintiff (2000), a benzene suit involving cancer claims (2004), and a traumatic brain injury suit (1995).
Education
Bradley University (B.A., 1974)
South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1977)
Admitted
1977, Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
Affiliations
AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
State Bar of Texas
Houston Bar Association
College of the State Bar of Texas
Co-Chairman for the Houston Bar Association's Task Force on Alternative Dispute Resolution, 1993
Defense Research Institute (Industry wide Litigation & Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committees)
Alternate Judge for the City of Hunters Creek Village, Texas, 1988-1998
Moderated Settlement Conference Certification Training, 1987
Dispute Resolution Training, 1993
Harris County Criminal Lawyers' Association, 1978
Life Member in the National Registry of Who's Who in America, 2001
Charter Member, Institute for Responsible Dispute Resolution, 2000
Pi Sigma Alpha; Political Science Honorary
Pi Kappa Alpha, President, 1973
Dean's Honor List - South Texas College of Law, 1975
State Moot Court Team - South Texas College of Law, 1976
Representative Projects
Successfully represented a manufacturing defendant in a case involving a living mesothelioma plaintiff and obtained a verdict for the defendant.
o One of the few lawyers in the nation who have tried a benzene cancer case to a verdict
o Successfully represented a premise owner in case involving a brain injury
o Successfully represented a major home builder in litigation involving allegations of flooding and water damage caused by new development in Harris County, Texas
o Represented a major home builder in Superfund litigation regarding a toxic waste dump
o Defended a physician in a three-month trial involving a liposuction case
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