The chair of Ober|Kaler's Civil Litigation Group, Jim practices primarily in civil litigation and construction. In the construction setting, Jim represents contractors, subcontractors, owners, residential developers and condominium and homeowner associations. Jim also has significant experience in design and construction contract preparation and the resolution of claims in litigation and alternative dispute resolution procedures. In addition, Jim handles procurement matters before various governmental agencies and boards of contract appeals.

An experienced trial lawyer, Jim represents both individual and corporate fiduciaries in estate and trust-related disputes as well as businesses in corporate and personal litigation in federal and state courts in Maryland and in the mid-Atlantic region, including general commercial litigation, intellectual property and computer software-related disputes, enforcement of restrictive covenants in employment agreements, and insurance coverage disputes.

Jim also represents businesses in employment law matters, with an emphasis in the preparation of employment agreements for executive-level employees in the health-care and construction industries.

Jim is actively involved in community activities. He is past building committee chair for the construction of a $1.6 million Worship Center for St. Francis de Sales Church in Abingdon, Maryland. He is a graduate of the Harford Leadership Academy sponsored by the Harford County Chamber of Commerce.

Court of Appeals of Maryland

United States Courts of Appeal for the Third and Fourth Circuits

United States District Court for the District of Maryland

United States Supreme Court

University of Maryland School of Law, J.D., with honor, 1982

Maryland Law Review, 1980-1982

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, B.A., 1978

American Bar Association

Section on Litigation

Forum Committee on the Construction Industry

Section on Labor and Employment Law

Section on Public Contract Law

Baltimore City Bar Association

Community Associations Institute, Professional Member

Harford County Bar Association

Harford Leadership Academy, Graduate

Maryland State Bar Association

Ober|Kaler

Chair, Civil Litigation Group

Marketing Principal

State of Maryland Task Force on Common Ownership Communities

Listed in Maryland Super Lawyers for Construction Litigation, 2007, 2008

Speaker, various seminars related to electronic discovery

Speaker and co-author, Residential Construction Disputes, MICPEL

Speaker and author, Rights and Remedies Against State Insurance Guaranty Funds, Lorman Business Center, Inc.

Author, The Practical Applications of Maryland Discovery Roles, Civil Discovery Practice in Maryland

Speaker, Appropriate Dispute Resolution: Effective Business Conflict Management, co-sponsored by Ober|Kaler and the American Arbitration Association

Speaker and author, Mechanic's Lien Law in Maryland, Lorman Business Center, Inc.

Instructor, Nine-Day Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers

Author, ADR Options, Employment Discrimination Litigation: Developments and Strategies, ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section

Personally, being a husband and father for my wife and two children; Professionally, becoming an accomplished trial lawyer and assuming a leadership role in this law firm.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."