James W. Walker

Overview

Jim Walker is a Martindale Hubbell AV rated trial lawyer with almost four decades of experience representing licensed professionals in complex civil litigation and professional liability matters. His practice focuses on the defense of attorneys, accountants, architects, engineers, and other regulated professionals facing claims involving malpractice, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and related business disputes.

Throughout his career, Jim tried over three hundred cases to verdict.  He has served as lead counsel in high stakes matters in Virginia state and federal courts, guiding cases from pre-suit evaluation through discovery, motion practice, trial, and appeal. He is widely respected for his strategic judgment, command of professional standards of care, and ability to present complex technical and financial issues clearly and persuasively to judges, juries, and mediators.

In addition to extensive trial work, Jim advises professionals and insurers on risk management, ethics issues, and claims avoidance, helping clients mitigate exposure before disputes arise. He has extensive experience working with expert witnesses and frequently handles matters involving significant financial, reputational, and licensing consequences.

Jim is admitted to practice in Virginia and before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia. He is also admitted to practice in the courts of the District of Columbia. He is an active participant in professional and legal organizations focused on trial advocacy and professional liability defense, and has presented and written on topics involving malpractice, ethics, and professional responsibility.

Experience

• Defense of a design architect against claims of professional malpractice leading to additional costs and significant delays of a performing arts center; voluntarily dismissed without payment (Charleston, SC)
• Defense of an architect against claims of professional negligence related to a roof collapse during a five-hundred-year rain event; pretrial demand was $8M and settled for less than the cost of defense (USDC- Maryland)
• Defense of an architect against claims of professional malpractice in the design of an indoor tennis facility; pretrial demand was over $1M and won on Summary Judgment (USDC – District of Columbia)
• Defense of a manufacturer of an assistive mobility device against claims of defective design; prevailed on Summary Judgment (USDC – Norfolk)
• Defense of a security company in a lawsuit involving severe injuries where the plaintiff fell three stories on the premises guarded by the defendant; prevailed on Summary Judgment (USDC - District of Columbia)
• Defense of an auditor against claims of accounting malpractice and extra contractual tort claims; pretrial demand was over $20M and received a defense verdict that was affirmed on appeal (Fairfax County)
• Defense of a lawsuit against a security firm that provided guarding services at the premises where the plaintiff’s decedent was abducted and later killed; case dismissed with prejudice on demurrer (Fairfax County)
• Defense of a product liability personal injury claim against an insecticide manufacturer; received defense verdict (Virginia Beach)
• Defense of operators of a minor league baseball stadium against claims of design negligence relating to fan protection; dismissed on demurrer (Pulaski County)
• Defense of campus police in a lawsuit brought by a student raped on campus; prevailed on Summary Judgment (District of Columbia)
• Defense of a kerosene heater manufacturer in a product liability/wrongful death lawsuit where the plaintiff died from severe burns; received a defense verdict (USDC-Richmond)
• Defense of a research scientist in the theft of a trade secrets and patent infringement lawsuit brought by a former employer; received a defense verdict (USDC-Richmond)
• Defense verdict in a lawsuit against a community association alleging violation of the governing documents (Accomack)
• Defense verdict in a lawsuit against a community association alleging wrongful foreclosure (Loudoun)
• Summary Judgment in a lawsuit against an insurance broker for failure to procure adequate insurance (Loudoun)
• Defense of a lawsuit against an issuer of maritime insurance; motion to dismiss granted (USDC – Charlottesville)

Honors, Publications, & Speeches

Honors

• AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell, 2013 to Present
• Super Lawyer, Civil Litigation, Virginia Super Lawyers, 2019 to Present
• Best Lawyer, Commercial Litigation and Litigation, The Best Lawyers in America, 2012 to Present
• Legal Elite, Civil Litigation, Virginia Business Magazine, 2009 to Present
• Member, National Leadership Honor Society, Omicron Delta, 1988 to Present

Publications

• Author, “Deconstructing Damages in A/E Malpractice Actions,” DRI For The Defense magazine, April 2019

Speeches

• Speaker, “Key Factors in Client Selection,” Travelers Insurance “Tips from the Bar” March 2019

News

Professional

• Member, Virginia Bar Association
• Member, Richmond Bar Association
• Member, Henrico County Bar Association
• Member, District of Columbia Bar Association
• Member, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
• Member, Defense Research Institute (DRI)