James R. Dugan, II

The founding partner of The Dugan Law Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana, James R. Dugan II offers his legal prowess in class action and mass torts litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. His career trajectory soared with his pivotal involvement in the landmark class action lawsuit against the tobacco industry, Castano v. American Tobacco et al., which tackled nicotine addiction and resulted in a multibillion-dollar settlement.

Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Dugan has navigated the intricate waters of complex litigation, representing a diverse array of consumers and third-party payers in cases involving Blue Cross of Louisiana and other health insurers. He has also taken on pharmaceutical giants over drugs such as Synthroid, Fen-Phen, Rezulin and Neurontin, among others. 

Additionally, Mr. Dugan has championed the cause of the Louisiana Attorney General in reclaiming medical costs for the state’s Medicaid program in cases involving Synthroid, Baycol, Rezulin, Vioxx and Ketek. Due to his exceptional acumen and experience in class action and mass tort litigation, he has been entrusted with key leadership roles in numerous large-scale federal court cases.

Mr. Dugan's academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, followed by a J.D. from Loyola University Law School in New Orleans. He is licensed with the Louisiana State Bar Association and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Middle District of Louisiana, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Circuits. He also lends his skill to the Board of Advocates for Human Rights First.

An active participant in the legal community, Mr. Dugan engages with prestigious organizations such as the Louisiana Association for Justice, the Federal Bar Association and the American Bar Association. His accolades include being named to the American Association for Justice's Top 100 Trial Lawyers from 2007 to 2016, the National League of Renowned Attorneys Top One Percent in 2016, the America’s Top 100 Attorneys Lifetime Achievement, the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 10 Best Attorneys in 2017 and the Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Top 25 in 2016.