James M. Richardson
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Civil Litigation Attorney in Austin, TX
Austin, TX 78703
- Civil Litigation: Plaintiff (50%),
- Business Litigation (20%),
- General Litigation (10%),
- Estate & Trust Litigation (10%),
- Construction Litigation: Business (10%)
- English,
- Spanish
A leading Texas trial lawyer, Jim Richardson 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 two additional trial practice areas – Civil Trial Law and Civil Practice Law. He has obtained verdicts and settlements in numerous significant cases, including multimillion-dollar contract and fraud suits, partnership disputes, shareholder derivative cases, claims for unfair competition and employment, professional liability, and real estate, environmental, construction, probate, and trust litigation.
Richardson is President-Elect of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, an organization dedicated to bettering the quality of trial advocacy in our nation's courtrooms. As the largest organization for attorney board certification in the United States, NBTA offers Board Certification in specialty areas that include Civil Trial Law, Civil Practice Law, Trucking Accident law, Family Law, Criminal Law, and Social Security Disability.
Richardson has repeatedly been named to the state's Top 50 Central & West Texas Super Lawyers®, as published in Thompson Reuters' annual “Top List – Best of the Best®." He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America® in Commercial Litigation since 2012 and by Texas Best Lawyers® since the inception of the publication (Levine Leichtman Capital Partners). Richardson is also a Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only national organization of distinguished trial lawyers and judges dedicated to preserving the right to a civil jury trial.
Richardson began his law practice with Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston, Texas, later serving as managing partner for two renowned litigation boutiques in Austin, Texas. He has been a course director, moderator, and presenter at numerous professional programs on topics of trial advocacy and procedure in business litigation.
Civil Litigation (50%)
Business Litigation (20%): Trade Secret, Non-Compete Agreements
General Litigation (10%): Litigation, Restraining Order
Estate & Trust Litigation (10%): Will Contests
Construction Litigation (10%): Construction Defects
Trade Secret, Non-Compete Agreements, Litigation, Restraining Order, Will Contests, Construction Defects
Selections
Super Lawyers: 2006 - 2008, 2011 - 2019
Top Lists
Certificates and Credentials
- National Board of Trial Advocacy
To: James M. Richardson
Super Lawyers: Potential Client Inquiry
Additional Sources of Information About James M. Richardson
About James Richardson
Admitted: 1981, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.richardson-firm.com/about-us/james-m-richardson/
Honors/Awards:
- President-Elect, National Board of Trial Advocacy (2018-2020)
- Member, American Board of Trial Advocates
- Top 50 Super Lawyers, Central and West Texas Region (Thomson Reuters) 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018
- Top 10 Business Tort Trial Lawyers - Texas®, The National Trial Lawyers 2019
- Texas Top Rated Lawyers (ALM/LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell) 2012-2019
- Best Lawyers in America® (Levine Leichtman Capital Partners), 2012-2020
- Texas Best Lawyers® (Levine Leichtman Capital Partners), 2012-2019
- AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 – General Ethical Standards/Legal Ability
- Editor-in-Chief, Tulsa Law Review
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Board Certified, Civil Trial Law, National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Board Certified Civil Practice Law, National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Board Certified Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Bar/Professional Activity:
- President-Elect, National Board of Trial Advocacy (elected 2017); Member, Board of Directors (2015-present); Civil Trial Advocate (2002-present); Civil Practice Advocate (2012-present); State Coordinator–Texas (2013-present); Executive Committee (2016-present); Advisory Committee (2009-present); Long Range Planning Committee (2015-present)
- State Bar of Texas, Rules of Evidence Committee (1996-98); Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Committee (2000-04); Panel Chair, District 9A Grievance Committee of the State (2002-03) (Member from 1997)
- Austin Bar Association, Civil Litigation Section (Past-Chair, 2016-17; Chair, 2015-16; Vice-Chair, 2013-14; Treasurer, 2012-13; Secretary 2011-12); Member, Board of Directors (2009-12; Chair, CLE (1994-96); (Member from 1985)
- Member, American Board of Trial Advocates, TEX-ABOTA Chapter
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2015-present)
- Fellow, American College of Board Certified Attorneys (2015-present)
- Master of the Bench, American Inns of Court, Robert W. Calvert Chapter (2005-present)
- Special Assistant Attorney General, State of Texas, 1982
- Outstanding Law Graduate, Oklahoma Bar Association
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Pro Bono College, State Bar of Texas (2019-present)
- Founding Life Fellow, Austin Bar Foundation (2005-present)
- Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation (1999-present)
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Course Director/Presenter, Essential Trial Advocacy Workshop®, Winning Motions, Presented by National Board of Trial Advocacy, Hosted by Jackson Walker LLP (Oct. 2017)
- Presenter, 14th Annual Ultimate Trial Notebook®, Voir Dire, Presented by the Austin Bar Association Civil Litigation Section (Oct. 2018)
- Co-Chair/Moderator, 12th Annual Ultimate Trial Notebook 2016 (Co-Chair/Moderator in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
- Presenter, Model State Emergency Health Powers Act (March 2015)
- Presenter, Texas Lawyers and the Disciplinary Process, 2014
- Presenter, Lawyers and Social Network Media Websites: Litigation and Advertising Issues, American Inns of Court, Austin, Texas (Nov. 2009)
- Author, Advanced Courtroom Evidence Examination, National Board of Trial Advocacy (2009)
- Presenter, Tort Reform Time Machine, American Inns of Court, Austin, Texas (Mar. 2007)
- "Ask a Super Lawyer," Automated Camera Defenses, Texas Monthly (Oct. 2006)
- Presenter, Litigating Disaster Recovery Issues, American Inns of Court, Austin, Texas (Oct. 2006)
- Author, Advanced Courtroom Evidence Examination, National Board of Trial Advocacy (2006)
- Co-Chair, National Business Institute, How to Litigate Your First Civil Trial in Texas, Austin, Texas (2002)
- Panelist, Review of Litigation/Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism, Conflicts of Interest Symposium: Cutting Edge Conflicts of Interest Hypotheticals, Austin, Texas (1997)
- Presenter, Advanced Civil Trial Course, Offering and Excluding Evidence, Houston, Texas (State Bar of Texas 1996)
- Presenter, Austin Bar Association, Offering and Excluding Evidence in Commercial Trials, Austin, Texas (1996)
- Presenter, Advanced Civil Trial Course, Sanctions and Alternatives to Sanctions, Houston, Texas (State Bar of Texas 1996)
- Presenter, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Texas Rules of Evidence: Predicates and Exclusions for Selected Rules, Lake Tahoe, Nevada (1996)
- Presenter, Advanced Civil Trial Course, Offering and Excluding Evidence, Fort Worth, Texas (State Bar of Texas 1996)
- Presenter, Advanced Civil Trial Course, Offering and Excluding Evidence, San Antonio, Texas (State Bar of Texas 1996)
- Panelist, Houston Board of Realtors, Dual Agency and Broker Liability, Houston, Texas (1986)
- Nova Health Systems, Preparing for the Jury Trial, San Antonio, Texas (1986)
- Author, Whom Do You Represent? Knowing Your Principals – Accidental Agency (co-author), 39 Texas Realtor 6 (Feb. 1986)
- Panelist, Texas Association of Realtors, Litigation Tips for the Unwary, Austin, Texas (1985)
- Author, Helicopteros Nacionales v. Hall: Clarifying the Limits of Personal Jurisdiction, 48 Texas Bar J. 651 (1985)
Educational Background:
- University of California at Los Angeles, B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Political Science, 1977
Industry Groups
- AMERICAN BOARD OF TRIAL ADVOCATES
- National Board Of Trial Advocacy
James M. Richardson:
Last Updated: 7/7/2019