Jim is the Chair of Wiggin and Dana’s Litigation Department. He is an experienced trial lawyer and appellate advocate who has successfully represented corporations and individuals in complex civil litigation and in investigations and prosecutions conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, the Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA, the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Commerce, State Attorneys General, and other federal and state regulators. Jim also regularly conducts internal investigations and ensures corporate compliance for companies, including those in the financial, defense, and healthcare industries.
Jim has been called upon to represent his state’s Chief Prosecutor, a state senator, who is also a lawyer, and his advice is regularly sought out on sensitive matters. As such, Jim is truly a lawyer’s lawyer. Indeed, in recognition for his achievements in the Second Circuit, Jim was selected to receive the prestigious Nineteenth Annual American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Second Circuit.
Jim is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and teaches trial practice at Yale Law School. When he was a prosecutor with the Department of Justice, Jim was a frequent lecturer at its National Advocacy Center and helped design and develop the DOJ’s advanced trial advocacy course. Jim is described by clients as “a consummate professional” and “a great strategist.” Jim has considerable experience defending white collar matters, including mail and wire fraud and alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and False Claims Act. Jim has been chosen for listing in Band 1 of the litigation category of Chambers USA. Jim has also been chosen by his peers for listing in The Best Lawyers in America in the category of White Collar Criminal Defense. Benchmark Litigation has recognized Jim as a “Litigation Star” in the categories of Appellate and White Collar/ Enforcement/Investigations. From 2017 through 2023, Super Lawyers recognized Jim as one of the 10 best lawyers in Connecticut. In 2015, Jim was selected by the Connecticut Law Tribune to receive its inaugural Professional Excellence Award, which honors attorneys with 30 or more years of experience and who have made substantial contributions to the practice of law. Jim is also an accomplished appellate lawyer, having briefed and argued 50 cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Jim currently serves on the Committee on Admissions and Grievances for the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and was formerly appointed by the Judges of the District Court to Chair the Federal Grievance Committee for the District of Connecticut. Jim has served on the Merit Selection Committee to consider the appointment and reappointment of the Chief Federal Public Defender for Connecticut, and has served on a committee to consider the reappointment of Connecticut’s U.S. Magistrate Judges.
Updated Sep 2023
