Eddie James is vice-chair of the Construction/Energy/Real Estate Litigation practice group and represents contractors, design professionals, owners, design-builders, EPC contractors, lenders, suppliers, and sureties on a wide variety of real estate and construction litigation matters in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration and mediation.
Mr. James has experience on infrastructure projects such as highways, bridges, government offices and structures, airports, wastewater facilities, power plants, ethanol plants, oil refineries, pipelines and wind farms. He also has experience in projects involving the life sciences, health care, hospitality, as well as with educational and religious institutions.
Mr. James has first-chair jury trial experience in both Missouri and Kansas and has handled and argued appeals in those states as well. He also has participated in numerous arbitrations and has first-chair experience in significant arbitrations. Clients appreciate the attentive service and zealous representation Mr. James brings to matters, both large and small.
Assisted by experience gained as a former clerk to a judge sitting on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Mr. James has been involved in matters in federal courts around the country. His federal court experience includes pursuing and defending claims in bankruptcy court.
In construction disputes, Mr. James has prepared and defended claims in numerous areas of construction law, including contract default claims, payment disputes, bid contests, delays, acceleration and inefficiency claims, reengineering and design-error claims, MBE/DBE challenges, insurance-coverage claims, mechanic’s lien and payment-bond claims and claims regarding priority of interest in real estate.
On behalf of lenders, Mr. James has defended a variety of lender liability claims, including claims asserting breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, wrongful foreclosure and statutory violations. Mr. James has also pursued the efficient resolution of disputes involving monies owed from defaulting parties through negotiations, workouts and litigation as needed.