James Walsh

With three decades of litigation experience in both state and federal courts across the U.S., Jim Walsh currently concentrates his practice in construction defense and insurance coverage law.

In that capacity, Jim also is a key member of London Fischer’s Catastrophic Event Response team, which responds to significant construction accidents and other liability events as they occur. Staffed by senior partners, the team gives clients around-the-clock access to experienced attorneys and trusted third-party photographers and forensic experts who can be at the scene of a catastrophe immediately. This is important to the development of the best possible defense and to securing crucial evidence for potential subrogation recoveries.

In addition to his courtroom skills, Jim is a prolific writer and sought-after speaker, regularly sharing his knowledge of construction claims handling and risk management with others in the field. Most recently, he gave a presentation on “Anatomy of a Lawsuit” at EMCOR Group Inc.’s 2013 safety conference. He has also presented on “Investigating and Documenting Incidents to Minimize Risks” at EMCOR’s 2019 conference and provided construction forms training to claims teams at Argo Insurance Group.

Jim holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and earned a B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude, in cursu honorum, from Fordham University.

When he is not practicing law, Jim transforms into a multifaceted connoisseur of life's finer pleasures. He enjoys reading fiction and poetry, indulges in the culinary arts, and connects with nature through gardening.

Representative Cases

•Robert Caras v George Comfort & Sons, et. al. (2023). The plaintiff, a steamfitter, slipped and fell on debris in a lift, injuring both knees. The general contractor tried to shift blame onto the electrical contractor for the incident. Initially, the case involved claims related to poor lighting, but these were dismissed. Eventually, the plaintiff dropped the lighting claim, focusing solely on the debris issue. The court later dismissed the third-party claims against the electrical contractor, ruling that the accident was linked to their work despite a broad indemnification agreement. The general contractor's request for a trial stay was denied, and the trial proceeded.
•Dawyot v Goldman Sachs, et al. (2017). An electrician alleged that he slipped and tripped on a plastic tarp with some kind of slippery substance on it, which led to severe knee and back injuries that ended his career. The defense argued that there was no evidence to support the claim, and they claimed that the electrician kept working after the supposed accident. The jury in New York County unanimously sided with the defense, rejecting the electrician's claims.
•Davidson v. Edgewater (2017). - An electrician sued the property owner, saying he tripped and fell in a parking lot while going to work, which resulted in a wrist injury needing several surgeries. The defense argued that the property owner wasn't responsible for the parking lot's upkeep and that the accident didn't occur because the electrician continued to work for eight days before being laid off due to a lack of work. The jury decided in favor of the property owner, not the electrician.

News & Insights

October 1, 2024

Labor Law Case Resolved at Trial with No Contribution by London Fischer’s client

November 7, 2022

March of Dimes 46th Annual Construction & Labor Breakfast

March 16, 2022

Southern District grants London Fischer’s summary judgment motion based on the contractor conditions endorsements.

Jan 02, 2019

Supreme Court, Bronx County grants summary judgment on proximate cause in traffic signal case.

July 31, 2018

Supreme Court, Kings County grants summary judgment on proximate cause in traffic signal case.

May 18, 2018

London Fischer Defense Verdict Trifecta

May 03, 2018

First Department Affirms Dismissal Of General Contractor

January 28, 2016

First Department Grants Summary Judgment on Proximate Cause in a Traffic Signal Case

July 20, 2012

Successful Appeal to Appellate Division

April 17, 2012

Summary Judgment Granted to Insurance Broker in Errors and Omissions Case

March 23, 2012

Unanimous Defense Verdict in Multi-Million Dollar Construction Accident Case

July 28, 2010

Summary Judgment Granted To Welsbach and The City Of New York

May 25, 2010

Summary Judgment Granted In Favor of Welsbach Electric Corp. In Multi-Vehicle Accident In Controlled Intersection

May 18, 2010

Summary Judgment Granted Based On Failure To Prove Recoverable Damage

May 12, 2010

$1.36 Million Construction Design Insurance Claim Asserted Against the New York State Liquidation Bureau Defeated

May 12, 2010

Summary Judgment Granted to Municipal Contractor

March 25, 2010

Summary Judgment Granted Finding no Legal Duty Owed by Town of Islip or its Streetlight Maintenance Contractor

October 19, 2009

Summary Judgment Granted In Favor of Wholesale Surplus Lines Insurance Broker On A Breach of Contract And Account Stated Claim

October 14, 2009

County and Contractor Granted Summary Judgment on Notice Issue

October 14, 2009

Summary Judgment Granted on Proximate Cause Theory