James T. "Tim" Shearin

James T. (Tim) Shearin is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and chair of the Litigation Department. He has wide-ranging experience in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate levels, and before arbitration and mediation boards. He represents clients in the areas of commercial, intellectual property, Internet piracy and computer crimes, banking, securities, antitrust, civil rights, products liability and general civil litigation.

Tim has lectured and written on the following: the constitutionality of Connecticut’s Prejudgment Remedy Statute, “ins and outs” of civil forfeitures, lender-liability law, federal discovery rules, implications of expert disclosure in federal court, limitations of technical advancements in the practice of law, rules and practices governing the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, the means by which to secure federal judgments, medical malpractice liability for HMOs, defense of covenant not to compete cases, Markman hearings, the federal jurisdiction of national banks, federal court practice and procedure, and settlement conferences and mediation in the federal court.

Representative Experience

• Defended companies in class action and shareholder derivative plaintiff cases with antitrust, securities, corporate finance and fiduciary duty claims
• Defended company accused of $9,000,000 worth of fraudulent Medicaid billing
• Assisted with the defense of a company indicted for price fixing
• Defended company in $22,000,000 veil piercing and fraudulent transfer case
• Prosecuted and defended patent infringement, copyright, trademark and misappropriation of trade secrets cases
• Defended claims alleging unfair trade practice, Lanham Act and licensing claims
• Frequently chosen as a private arbitrator or mediator in complex commercial cases
• Represented both individuals and businesses in litigation brought to recover severance and pension benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
• Arrested, attached and seized major shipping vessels and cargo pursuant to the prosecution of admiralty and maritime suits

Professional Affiliations

• Appointed Co-counsel to the Federal Grievance Committee by the Judges of the U.S. District Court, 1997 - 2003
• American Bar Association
• Connecticut Bar Association - Executive Committee, Federal Practice Section (former co-chairman); Executive Committee, Intellectual Property Section; Audit, Nominating, Legal Services for the Poor, and Federal Judiciary standing and ad hoc committees
• Connecticut Bar Association House of Delegates
• Raymond Baldwin Inn of Court - bencher, former secretary and vice president
• Connecticut Bar Foundation - director
• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• Federal Circuit Bar Association
• Federal Bar Council
• Greater Bridgeport Bar Association - past president
• Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
• Superior Court attorney trial referee and arbitrator
• Special master in Federal Court

Community Involvement

• American Red Cross - past director
• Connecticut Legal Services Corp. - past chairman
• Graduate, Bridgeport Regional Business Council's Leadership Program and a past member of its board of directors
• University of Connecticut Law School Alumni Association, Inc. - past president
• University of Connecticut Law School Foundation, Inc. - past chairman
• Weston Democratic Town Committee - past chairperson
• Active in state and local politics

Honors & Awards

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
• Listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers to Businesses
• Selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 in the area of business litigation
• Recipient of John Eldred Shields Professional Service Award from the Connecticut Bar Association, 2009