James M. Garner

Mr. Garner, a Member of the firm is a trial lawyer specializing in commercial and complex litigation. He has been lead counsel in cases in New Mexico, California, West Virginia, Kansas, Arizona, Indiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, involving complex and class action litigation ranging from asbestos exposure, benzene exposure, mass closings of big box retailers, noise pollution, commercial, banking, bankruptcy and financial litigation. He is admitted to practice before the federal courts in Arkansas and all courts in Texas and Louisiana. He serves as regional counsel for several companies.

Mr. Garner is very active in the oil and gas field, being a chemical engineer and former drilling engineer. He represents a number of companies as claimants in the BP Macondo Litigation. Mr. Garner is also lead counsel for Texas Brine Company in defending and prosecuting its claims in the Bayou Corne sinkhole litigation.

Mr. Garner has extensive appellate argument experience by regularly arguing before the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, the Louisiana Courts of Appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court. He was unanimously appointed by the Tulane Faculty to Adjunct Lecturer in Law for the Fall 2014 Semester, teaching Advanced Appellate Advocacy at Tulane University School of Law.

While attending Tulane Law School, Mr. Garner served as a member of the Board of Editors for 1987-1988 and managing editor of the Tulane Law Review for 1988-1989. He is also a member of the Order of the Coif. As an undergraduate at Tulane, he was a member of the Tau Beta Pi, Phi Eta Sigma, Omega Chi Epsilon, and Omicron Delta Kappa honorary societies.

Professional and civic activities include: American (member); Louisiana (member) and Federal (Director, Membership Chair, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, President Elect and Vice-President, President and National Council Delegate, member) Bar Associations; Defense Research Institute (member); Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (member); Louisiana Bankers Association (member); Holy Cross High School (Board Member); Our Lady of Holy Cross College (Development Board); Tulane University (Admissions Council and Externship Committee); Tulane Law Review Board of Advisory Editors; St. Catherine of Siena Cub Scout Pack 230 Den Leader.


HONORS AND AWARDS:

New Orleans CityBusiness - 2016 Leadership in Law Honoree

Chambers and Partners 2007 - 2016 USA Rankings in Litigation – Key Individuals: “The highly regarded James Garner is well versed in class action work, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in areas such as noise pollution, banking and the energy sector.”

Best Lawyers in America since 2006 with special designations, during 2016 or a prior year, in Appellate Practice, Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Securities, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, 2006-2016

Louisiana Super Lawyers 2007-2016, recognized in the New Orleans Top 50 (2013, 2015, 2016), and Louisiana Top 50 (2007-2013, 2015, 2016)

Global Law Experts Oil & Gas Tort Litigation Attorney of the Year in the USA, 2015

2014-2015 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America

2013 Top Rated Lawyer for Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources, Martindale-Hubbell

The Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2007 - 2012

Lawdragon's 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know, 2008

The Lawdragon 500 New Stars, New Worlds, 2006

Top 50 Lawyers, Louisiana Super Lawyers: Appellate Law and Commercial, Mass Tort, Products Liability and Personal Injury Litigation, 2007 - 2012

Benchmark: The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys, Local Litigation Star, 2008 - 2014

Gerson Lehrman Group, GLG Leader, 2010 - Present

Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition -- Business Litigation, 2008

New Orleans City Business has awarded Mr. Garner the first annual Leadership in Law Award, as one of the top 50 Lawyers in New Orleans, 2005

New Orleans City Business Power Generation, 2003


CLASSES/SEMINARS TAUGHT:

Advanced Appellate Practice, Louisiana Bar Association, August 26, 2016, Co-Chair and Speaker

The Asbestos Mock Trial Program - Direct and Cross of Witness & Closing Arguments, Boston, MA, Perrin Conferences on behalf of Resolute Management, Inc., May 5, 2016

The Asbestos Mock Trial Program - Direct and Cross of Witness & Closing Arguments, Dover, NH, Perrin Conferences on behalf of Resolute Management, Inc., May 4, 2016

The Asbestos Mock Trial Program - Direct and Cross of Witness & Closing Arguments, Chicago, IL, Perrin Conferences on behalf of Resolute Management, Inc., April 26, 2016

The LSBA Uncorked: A CLE Adventure in California’s Wine Country, Louisiana State Bar Association, February 29, 2016 - March 2, 2016

New York, New York: A Multi-Topic CLE Seminar, "The Traditions, Evolution and Pros & Cons of the Jury Trial," and "Juries-To What Extent Has the Role of the Jury Been Eroded?", Louisiana State Bar Association, November 21, 2015 - November 23, 2015

Voodoo Festival Seminar - Bewitching Trial Techniques: "The Final Ghoulish Feast: Closing Statement", Louisiana State Bar Association, October 30, 2015

Workers’ Compensation Law and Practice, Sterling Education Services, Inc., December 4, 2015

A City Below Sea Level Rises Above: Exploring the Legal Impacts of Katrina Over the Last Decade – Post Disaster Litigation Strategies Panel, Loyola Law Review Symposium, October 16, 2015

LSBA Summer School: Arbitration: The Pitfalls, Problems, and Shortcomings: When Can/Should a Court Step In?, Louisiana State Bar Association, June 8, 2015

New York, New York: A Multi-Topic CLE Seminar, Does Spoliation Constitute an Independent Cause of Action? - Louisiana State Bar Association, November 22-24, 2014

Adjunct Lecturer in Law, Advanced Appellate Advocacy, Tulane University School of Law

LSBA Uncorked: Are there Unveiled UM Waivers Anymore? - Louisiana State Bar Association, March 24, 2014

Landlord-Tenant Law Seminar - Leases, Evictions, Litigation and Settlements, Sterling Educational Services, Inc., December 12, 2013

8th Annual Workers’ Compensation Law & Practice Seminar, Sterling Education Services, Inc., December 3, 2013

New York, New York - A Multi-Topic CLE Seminar, Louisiana State Bar Association, November 17, 2012 - November 19, 2012

Louisiana Water Laws and Regulations, Half Moon Seminars, June 13, 2012

The LSBA Uncorked-A CLE Adventure in California Wine Country: Recusals At The Trial and Appellate Court Levels, Louisiana State Bar Association, March 5, 2012 - March 7, 2012

New York, New York A Multi-Topic CLE - Reconciling Conflicting Opinions of the Courts of Appeal, Louisiana State Bar Association, November 19, 2011 - November 21, 2011

17th Annual Continuing Legal Education Seminar, CLE of Louisiana and LA Judicial Council/NBA, July 8, 2011 - July 14, 2011

9th Annual Landlord-Tenant Law Symposium, Sterling Education Services, Inc., May 11, 2011

Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law - 12th Annual Conference, American Bar Association Health Law Section, February 23, 2011 - February 26, 2011

New Claims on the Horizon: The Aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Spill, New Orleans Bar Association, December 22, 2010

8th Landlord-Tenant Law Symposium, Sterling Education Services, Inc., November 30, 2010

Oil in the Gulf - Litigation and Insurance Coverage, Avoiding Fraud Concerns in the Claims Process, HB Litigation Conference, November 4, 2010 - November 5, 2010

New Claims on the Horizon: The Aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Spill, The National Forum for Environmental & Toxic Tort Issues, September 28, 2010 - October 1, 2010

Current Issues in Storm Water Regulation, National Business Institute, July 28, 2010

The Intersection of Federal and State Law Issues, Jamaican Sunset CLE, July 8, 2010 - July 15, 2010

Litigating Bad Faith Insurance Claims, National Business Institute, March 25, 2010

Issues Addressed In High Profile Cases: Talking to the Press & Invocation of the 5th Amendment, New Orleans Bar Association, December 23, 2009

Master Land Use and Planning Processes, National Business Institute, May 4, 2009

2009 Bench Bar Conference: Changes to Court Rules, New Orleans Bar Association, March 13, 2009 - March 15, 2009

Trying the Bad Faith Insurance Case, American Bar Association, March 5, 2009 - March 9, 2009

Crafting the Key Documents in Insurance Coverage Litigation - California Coverage Dreaming on a Winter's Day, American Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee's Mid-Year Meeting, February 26, 2009 - February 28, 2009

Landlord-Tenant Law, Sterling Education Services, January 7, 2009

Boundary Disputes: Resolving Client Conflicts, National Business Institute, November 13, 2008

Insurance Litigation in Louisiana Related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Defense Research Institute, October 23, 2008

Handling Toxic Mold Disputes: A Guide to Recent Developments and Effective Litigation Strategies, Lorman Education Services, August 15, 2008

Sher Post-Mortem, Jamaican Sunset CLE, August 7, 2008 - August 14, 2008

The Warranties Within: A Comparative Look at the Warranties Implied in the Sale of Goods under U.S. Law with an Emphasis on European and International Influences Thereon, Tulane Law School Summer Abroad, London, England, July 21, 2008 - August 2, 2008

Annual Meeting and Flood Recovery Seminar, Linn County Bar Association, June 26, 2008

Mastering Land Use and Planning Processes, National Business Institute, June 10, 2008

2008 Bench Bar Conference - Never Say Never Again: Surviving the Second Storm of Litigation, New Orleans Bar Association, April 11, 2008 - April 13, 2008

Real Estate Law: Advanced Issues and Answers, National Business Institute, March 13, 2008

Hurricane Katrina: Surviving the Storm of Insurance Litigation, New Orleans Bar Association, December 28, 2007

Katrina Insurance Litigation, The Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society, December 12, 2007

Hot Topics in Insurance Law, Louisiana State Bar Association, September 28, 2007

Landlord-Tenant Law: Beyond the Basics, Sterling Education Services, Inc., September 25, 2007

Litigating the Multi-Party Construction Defect Case: Representing the Owner, Louisiana State Bar Association, September 21, 2007

Circuits Gone Haywire Part II-Splits in the Louisiana Appellate System, Jamaican Sunset CLE, July 12, 2007 - July 19, 2007

Show Me the Money - Hurricane Katrina Insurance Issues, Jamaican Sunset CLE, July 12, 2007 - July 19, 2007

Hurricane Relief Seminar for Evacuees and Volunteers, National Bar Association, April 26, 2007

Insurance Law: Third Party Coverage, National Business Institute, February 22, 2007

2006 Bench Bar Conference - Hurricane Katrina: A Personal Perspective, Lafayette Parish Bar Association, October 5, 2006 - October 7, 2006

The Warranties Within: A Comparative Look at Warranties Implied in the Sale of Goods Under US Law, Tulane Law School Summer Abroad, London, England, July 23, 2006 - August 5, 2006

Fourteenth Annual Alvin B. Rubin Symposium - The Attorney Client Privilege: A Pandora's Box, Federal Bar Association of New Orleans, May 18, 2006

Confronting Present and Future Stormy Challenges, Louisiana Judicial Council/NBA, March 2, 2006 - March 4, 2006

Thirteenth Annual Alvin B. Rubin Symposium - Lawyer and Judge Misconduct, Federal Bar Association of New Orleans, May 12, 2005

The Mold Challenge in Louisiana, National Business Institute, March 15, 2005

Solving Mold Contamination & Water Intrusion Claims, Sterling Education Services, October 13, 2004

Twelfth Annual Alvin B. Rubin Symposium - Attorney Disqualification and Judicial Recusal: The New Frontier, Federal Bar Association of New Orleans, May 5, 2004

Water Intrusion and Toxic Mold Claims in Louisiana, Sterling Education Services, L.L.C., October 28, 2003

Emerging Issues In Louisiana Indoor Air Quality and Toxic Mold Litigation, National Business Institute, April 24, 2003

Tenth Annual Alvin B. Rubin Symposium - What Judges Will and Will Not Tolerate, Federal Bar Association of New Orleans, April 18, 2002

Hotel/Motel Premises Civil Security Liability, Defense Research Institute, 1997.