James Carlson represents clients in a broad range of complex commercial disputes and regulatory matters worldwide. He has extensive experience assisting clients with their most important legal issues, including antitrust, contracts, consumer fraud, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, intellectual property, public nuisance, shareholder actions, regulatory investigations, or securities fraud. He also has significant experience with multistate litigations, including involving the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.
James is currently defending a major retailer in hundreds of cases brought by states, counties, cities, and others alleging that the distribution of prescription opioids constitutes a public nuisance. Among other recent matters, James represented a prominent telecommunications company in connection with competition and patent actions around the world. One of the largest antitrust and intellectual property actions ever, it ended with the plaintiff making a payment to the client. Before Jones Day, James practiced in the New York office of a major American law firm. During this time, James defended a multinational bank in actions across the United States related to residential mortgage-backed securities, which included preparing multiple cases for trial. James represented companies in investigations by the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission worldwide. James also obtained the complete dismissal of shareholder derivative actions filed in West Virginia and Delaware, where he was lead drafter on all briefing, including before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
In his pro bono practice, James represented an inmate in a Section 1983 action, where he successfully briefed and argued summary judgment motions.
Experience
The following represents experience acquired prior to joining Jones Day.
Represented a multinational bank in connection with civil suits related to mortgage-backed securities offerings in state and federal courts throughout the country, including managing several trial teams for cases that resulted in settlement.
Represented the outside directors of a prominent mining company in obtaining complete dismissal of shareholder suits in West Virginia and Delaware, including successfully defending an appeal to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
Represented an international cosmetics manufacturer and direct sales company in an FCPA investigation involving both the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission and spanning multiple countries.
Represented a major film company in connection with an accounting investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Represented a multinational beverage company in connection with the Department of Justice's merger review process for the approval of its merger with another multinational beverage company.
Represented a big four accounting firm in connection with civil suits stemming from the collapse of Bear Stearns and the financial crisis.
- Columbia University (J.D. 2009; Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar; James Kent Scholar; Simon H. Rifkind Prize for the best overall performance in the first year moot court); Case Western Reserve University (B.A. in Economics and History summa cum laude 2006; Phi Beta Kappa)
- Pennsylvania, New York, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and U.S. District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania and the Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of New York
- Law Clerk to Judge Roslynn R. Mauskopf, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York (2011-2012)