JAMES L. HOLLIS is a Partner in Balch & Bingham's Atlanta office. He is the head of the firm's product liability focus group. He joined the firm in 2003. Jim has a diverse practice that includes product liability, construction defect and toxic tort litigation. He also has significant experience representing bidders in state and local government contract disputes.
Jim's product liability practice focuses on defending manufacturers of a variety of industrial products against catastrophic personal injury and property damage claims. Jim has defended some of the world's largest woodworking machinery manufacturers, as well as a large manufacturer of industrial automation equipment, including programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and force drives. Jim has defended toxic tort claims alleging personal injury and property damage from mercury, PCBs, asbestos and mold. Jim also has experience defending pharmaceutical companies in defective design and failure to warn cases, as well as defending a large parcel delivery company in automobile accident cases.
Prior to joining Balch & Bingham, Jim was an associate with King & Spalding, LLP, where he practiced toxic tort, product liability and complex litigation.
Jim, his wife Courtney and their two daughters live in Atlanta.
Representative Experience
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In 2004, Jim represented a petroleum company in a three day jury trial of a contract dispute where his client was awarded 100% of its claimed damages plus 100% of its claimed attorneys' fees.
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In a toxic tort case involving allegations of injury caused by exposure to mercury, Jim drafted the summary judgment motion that was granted in part, confining Plaintiffs to a single theory of recovery against his client. This case ultimately settled on terms favorable to the client.
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Jim represented the owners of multi-family residential condominium buildings in several construction defect cases, which resulted in verdicts or settlements exceeding $6 million. In one case, Jim obtained a Daubert order excluding key portions of the defense expert's testimony.
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Jim was able to settle a property damage claim that exceed $1 million for approximately 20% of the claim's value after taking a single deposition of the designer of an industrial manufacturing line.
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Jim was able to secure the dismissal of a claim against a generic pharmaceutical manufacturer in a failure to warn case after taking a single deposition of Plaintiff's treating physician.
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In 2008, Jim defended a manufacturer of an industrial panel saw in a case involving significant crush injuries by Plaintiff. Jim obtained summary judgment on all claims except one. The order also severely limited the circumstances under which the Plaintiff could recover on the surviving claim. The case ultimately settled on favorable terms.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- State Bar of Georgia
- Atlanta Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Graduate
- Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
- Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, 2010 Bioscience Council