James M. Richardson

Jim Richardson is one of the state's leading trial lawyers in complex commercial litigation.

He was elected and served as President of the National Board of Trial Advocacy from 2020 through 2022 and continues as Past President. He is also President of the NBTA Austin-Area Chapter.

Jim has been named one of the nation's Best Lawyers® in Commercial Litigation by BL Rankings since 2012. Thomson Reuters named Jim to Super Lawyers® for over 17 years, including multiple times among the Top 50 Super Lawyers in the Central & West Texas Region® as featured in Texas Monthly. He is rated Judicial-AV®Preeminent™ 5.0-5 by Martindale-Hubbell/LexisNexis - the highest rating. Jim has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100™ since 2019.

Jim is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is also Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial Law and Civil Practice Advocacy. He has been re-certified multiple times.

Jim is an active member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only national association of leading trial lawyers and judges. He has served as a course director, moderator, and presenter on trial advocacy, evidence, and procedure. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Tulsa Law Review.

Richardson Firm PLLC is ranked Tier 1 in Commercial Litigation by Best Law Firms for 2024, a Division of BL Rankings, as well as in 2023 by U.S. News and World Report and Best Law Firms.

Practice Areas: Trial and Arbitration in State and Federal court; Temporary and Permanent Injunctions; Breach of Fiduciary Duty; Fraud; Breach of Contract; Shareholder and Partnership Disputes; Interference with Contracts; Real Estate Litigation; Partition and Easements; Rights of Way; Trusts and Estates; Financial Crimes; Probate Litigation; Business Torts and Technology; Construction Litigation; Marriage Dissolution and Property Claims; Professional Liability and Legal Malpractice; Employment Disputes; Environmental Litigation; Negligence.

Recognitions

• President, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 2020-2022
• Immediate Past President, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 2022-2024
• President, NBTA-Austin Area Chapter, 2017-present
• Past Chair, Civil Litigation Section, Austin Bar Association
• BL Rankings' Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, 2012-2024
• Ranked Tier 1 in Commercial Litigation, BL Rankings' U.S. News & World Report and Best Law Firms® 2023 and Best Law Firms® 2024
• Top 50 Texas Super Lawyers®, Central and West Texas Region, by Thomson Reuters, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019
• Texas Super Lawyers - 17 Years
• The National Trial Lawyers™ Top 100®, 2019-present
• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Member, 2012-present
• Martindale-Hubbell/LexisNexis, Rated: Judicial AV®Preeminent™ 5.0-5, 1987-present
• Named, Society of Scholars 20-Year Fellow, College of the State Bar of Texas, 2022
• Editor-in-Chief, Tulsa Law Review
• Outstanding Law Graduate, Oklahoma Bar Association

Board Certifications

• Board Certified – Civil Trial Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization 2002
• Board Certified – Civil Trial Law – National Board of Trial Advocacy 2003
• Board Certified – Civil Practice Advocacy – National Board of Trial Advocacy 2012

Only 930 attorneys—less than 1% of licensed Texas lawyers—are double-board certified

Professional Activities and Memberships

• President, National Board of Trial Advocacy (2020-2022); Immediate Past President (2022-present); Executive Committee (2016-present); Board of Directors (2015-present); State Coordinator–Texas (2013-present); Civil Trial Advocate (2002-present); Civil Practice Advocate (2015-present)
• Founding President, NBTA-Austin Area Chapter (2015-present)
• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) (2012-present)
• State Bar of Texas, Member (1981-present); Rules of Evidence Committee (1996-98); Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Committee (2000-04); Panel Chair, District 9A Grievance Committee (2002-03)(Member from 1997); Member, College of the State Bar of Texas (2002 to present); Named, Society of Scholars 20-Year Fellow, Texas Bar College (2022); Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas (2019 to present)
• Austin Bar Association, Board of Directors (1997-99); Past Chair, Civil Litigation Section (Immediate Past-Chair, 2016-17; Chair, 2015-16; Vice-Chair, 2013-14; Treasurer, 2012-13; Secretary 2011-12)
• American Inns of Court, Robert W. Calvert Chapter, Senior Master (2005-present)
• Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow (1999-present)
• Austin Bar Foundation, Founding Life Fellow (2005-present)
• Special Counsel to the Attorney General, State of Texas (1981-82)

Representative Experience

• Lead counsel regarding real estate fraud and construction defect claims on a 350,000-square-foot office building, confidential settlement reached.
• Recovered civil penalties for client of $5,500 and attorneys’ fees of $521,086.72 in a landlord retaliation case, all amounts paid to client.
• Prevailed in dismissing claims with prejudice under Rule 91a, including expunging a lis pendens on real estate.
• Prosecuted multiple parties stemming from a fraudulent scheme to steal $8,000,000 through bogus invoices, confidential settlement reached.
• Defended attorneys against a claim for lost profits relating to integrated circuit for Intel motherboards, summary judgment granted.
• Multiparty lead counsel in United States Superfund litigation related to a former mining operation, confidential settlement reached.
• Represented manufacturer as to construction defect claims regarding roofing materials for a residential condominium project.
• Prosecuted lawsuit for breach of fiduciary duty as to insider commercial real estate loans, confidential settlement reached.
• Prosecuted claims for invasion of privacy and other torts related to secret video surveillance, confidential settlement reached.
• Prosecuted claims for breach of real estate partnership and fraud, confidential settlement reached after five-day favorable jury verdict.
• Prosecuted claims against a Fortune 100 bank for breach of contract, confidential settlement reached after a five-day winning verdict.
• Prosecuted claims against a Fortune 500 petroleum company for wrongful termination of an executive employee, confidential settlement reached after a ten-day jury trial.
• Represented the executor against alleged claims for breach of fiduciary duty as to an automobile dealership, case dismissed.

Bar Admissions

• State Bar of Texas 1981
• United States Supreme Court 1989
• United States District Court, Western District of Texas 1985
• United States District Court, Southern District of Texas 1982
• United States Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit 1982

Education

• University of California at Los Angeles 1977 – B.A., magna cum laude (Top 10%)
• University of Tulsa College of Law 1981– J.D., (Top 10%)
• Hanford Joint Union High School, Hanford, California