Jim has an active trial and appellate practice focused on maritime collision, personal injury, and offshore energy matters. He also handles marine and energy administrative proceedings before state and federal regulatory bodies.

Licensed by the United States Coast Guard as Master and First Class Pilot, prior to qualifying as a lawyer, Jim worked in various shoreside and seagoing capacities for Lykes Bros. Steamship Co., Texaco Marine Services, the Falcon Shipping Group and Coastal Corporation.

Jim is a Proctor in Admiralty in the Maritime Law Association of the United States and has served as a Director of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute. He is a maintaining member in the College of the State Bar of Texas and has served on the faculty of the State Bar’s Advanced Personal Injury Law Course.

Recent work includes:

• Obtaining dismissal of a $255,000,000 claim against a ship owner for damages alleged as a result of an allision with a semi-submersible rig.
• Advising a shipowner in a suit brought against it by the United States for cargo damage alleged to have occurred over a period of 4 years on 8 different ships in 14 African ports of call involving hundreds of Bills of Lading.
• In a maritime case of first impression, advising a shipowner in a suit against a shipyard successfully obtaining defense and indemnity pursuant to Terms & Conditions posted on a web site.
• Advising a shipowner involved in an allision with a fixed gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico.