James Hemmings has the unique experience of having represented clients as both outside and in-house counsel.
James has litigated a variety of matters at all levels of state and federal courts and has extensive experience counseling clients on methods of preventing, avoiding, and cabining risk. He appreciates the need for tailored solutions that effectively and efficiently manage issues, whether in litigation or otherwise, and cares deeply about providing practical advice responsive to each client’s specific situation and the particularity of each matter.
In adversarial proceedings, James has represented clients from a variety of sectors, including pharmaceutical and medical device companies, consumer and industrial product manufacturers, industrial chemical suppliers, and national universities. He has managed or participated on litigation teams in mass tort proceedings, multi-district litigation, class actions, multi-plaintiff actions, and single plaintiff actions relating to product liability and other tort, consumer fraud, insurance, antitrust, RICO, and breach of contract. As the chief litigation counsel for a global consumer goods conglomerate, James served as principal litigator for the company and its divisions, working hand-in-hand with stakeholders throughout the company to manage claims and litigation globally, across legal subject matter.
James recognizes that getting to know a client’s business means understanding the people who make the business run, the ways and means of the business’s commercial strategies from end to end, and the sometimes competing interests that affect day-to-day operations. He has experience counseling business units, senior management, and others on measures to insulate against risk. As both outside and in-house counsel, he has worked with clients to minimize product liability risk, improve product warnings and marketing, and conduct internal investigations. While serving as in-house counsel, James played a key role in a variety of strategic initiatives, particularly in the areas of product safety, environmental health and safety, and insurance.