James S. Bell - trial attorney licensed in Texas, California, New York

James S. Bell, a trial lawyer with a history of winning some important verdicts, is a warrior and fights for his clients.  He is licensed to practice law in the states of Texas, New York and California.  He is admitted to practice in numerous federal district courts and the United States Supreme Court.

James has served as lead trial counsel in numerous jury trials and bench trials and has substantial litigation experience in catastrophic injury matters; healthcare disputes (Stark, Anti-Kickback, False Claims, Prompt Pay, and Corporate Practice of Medicine); business disputes, real estate cases, investment fraud cases; complex securities disputes; divorces; child custody matters; and criminal matters. James has resolved divorces, injury cases, fraud, and business matters involving real estate, raw land, landfills, oil and gas, pharmacies, physician groups, physicians, toxicology laboratories, medical device companies, hospitals, construction zones, and billing companies. Litigation results have led to millions of dollars in recoveries and savings for Clients.

Many consider James S. Bell to be the most accomplished trial lawyer of his generation having won more than $6 Billion in verdicts and settlements for business clients, injury victims, and families across the country. James also represents defendants in criminal cases involving the United States of America and many state governments. James has the distinguished honor of having won the largest verdict in the United States in 2017. This verdict is also believed to be the ninth (9th) largest verdict in United States history.

James has extensive courtroom experience representing business clients, defendants, divorces, victims of serious injuries and medical malpractice, especially those who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, and chronic pain. James has been recognized by dozens of publications for his record-breaking verdicts. In 2017, James was named to The National Law Journal’s Elite Trial Lawyers for having a top verdict in the nation. James has served as an instructor at Trial Lawyer courses and delivers keynote addresses nationwide on his revolutionary approach to voir dire, opening statement, cross-examination, and damages.
Other lawyers, faced with low settlement offers from insurance companies or bad plea offers from the Government, frequently bring James into their cases just before trial.

James tries lawsuits in state and federal courts, emphasizing intellectual property, business torts, health care litigation, tax, and False Claims Act (FCA) litigation. His trial experience is unusually broad and extensive. On the civil side, he has tried to verdict cases involving patent infringement, trade secrets, insider trading, antitrust, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, product liability, and FCA violations. On the criminal side, he has litigated cases involving bank fraud, tax evasion, health care fraud, firearm cases, public corruption, copyright infringement, and aggravated sexual assault. James’ jury trials include successfully representing plaintiffs and defendants on both coasts.

James is a relentless warrior who has prevailed in the courtroom time and time again. He prides himself on his caring and empathic approach to working with his clients and their families, and his ability to help juries find the truth and deliver justice. James has lectured and taught trial skills including the trial by human method across the country. James is a relentless warrior who has succeed and proven himself in the battles of litigation time and time again, however he prides himself on his caring, empathetic approach to working with defendants, the injured, and their families. He believes in going the distance for each and every client, is not afraid to put any case in front of a jury.

Experience

* James served as lead trial counsel in a summary jury trial for limited partners of a partnership. This was a multi-million dollar investment fraud case involving a 270 acre land development in Prosper, Texas. James obtained two unanimous jury verdicts for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and willful misconduct.

* James also served as lead trial counsel for free-standing medical center and obtained a substantial jury verdict against a large regional hospital.

* James has also served as lead trial counsel for pharmacy where he obtained a large fraud judgment against a publicly traded company (OTC) for stealing insurance and federally funded prescription reimbursements.

* James also served as lead trial counsel for healthcare company against a physician. James obtained a substantial jury verdict against the physician for breach of fiduciary duty.

* James also served as lead trial counsel for candidate in a Dallas County election dispute. After cross examination of Dallas County election official, the Plaintiff dismissed her entire case.

* James served as co-counsel for a Client charged in Ohio with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault.

* James served as lead trial counsel for famous nightclub in real estate dispute. James obtained a defense verdict and the jury deliberated in roughly 30 minutes.

* James served as lead trial counsel in an acquisition dispute involving 42 million gallons of fuel. At the close of evidence and five minutes prior to closing argument, the Clients received a substantial settlement offer and resulted in a satisfactory settlement.

* James also successfully served as counsel in ethanol plant construction case against major international insurance company.  The case settled immediately after Voir Dire.

* James served as lead defense counsel for high net worth client in a sexual assault case.  There, the Plaintiff claimed she was physically attacked in Las Vegas and demanded $10 million. James obtained a complete dismissal for Client.

* James has also served as lead counsel for investors and enjoined the $11 million sale of a technology company.

* James also served as lead counsel for a Florida casino owner for alleged tip pool violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. James obtained a complete dismissal for Client.

* James served as lead counsel for contractor in a multi-million dollar dispute. In that case, James obtained summary judgment on all claims against Plaintiff John Doe and all claims except one against Plaintiff Jane Doe.

* James represented a CEO in multi-million dollar criminal real estate fraud investigation involving alleged misuse of the adverse possession statutes. After the case was investigated by the District Attorney’s office, the case was closed with no indictment.

* James served as lead counsel against major national bank for employment discrimination. The case settled very favorably for Client.

BACKGROUND

Career: In 2015, he founded James S. Bell, P.C. located in Dallas, Texas. It is a boutique trial litigation firm serving clients nationwide.  Prior to the start of James S. Bell, P.C., he was a partner at Friedman & Feiger, LLP.

Bar Admissions: State of California; State of Texas; State of New York; United States Supreme Court; United States Tax Court; United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; U.S. District Court for the Central District of California; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pro Hac Vice; U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Pro Hac Vice; Supreme Court of New York, Manhattan Division, Pro Hac Vice; Ohio Court of Common Pleas, Butler County, Ohio, Pro Hac Vice.

Law Studies: James attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where he graduated with honors in 2001. James received the Southern Methodist University Scholarship, James Holland Scholarship, W.R. Nicholson Scholarship, and the Southern Methodist University Student Senate Scholarship. James then received his law degree cum laude from Southern Methodist University in 2005.

James made the Dean’s List and was part of Moot Court. More importantly, however, James got his stripes in the Southern Methodist University Criminal Defense Clinic. There, James zealously represented indigent defendants charged with serious crimes. This gave James the unique opportunity to practice in court and actually get to go to trial on numerous cases. James interviewed clients and witnesses; conducted and participated in bond hearings and preliminary hearings, evidentiary hearings, plea hearings, sentencing hearings, and trials. James researched, wrote, and argued motions and briefs that were important and case determinative for his clients. James participated in case investigations and negotiated with prosecutors.