James B. Harper

Associate

James has experience representing insured defendants in Texas state and federal courts against claims involving negligence, premises, product, Dram Shop Act, and professional liability theories. He has represented insurer defendants in actions for declaratory judgement and liability with issues in coverage, breach of contract, DTPA, insurance code, and Texas Workers’ Compensation Act. James also conducts legal research, written and oral deposition discovery, formulates strategy, drafts pleadings and brief arguments, prepares and presents arguments at oral hearings, and negotiates with opposing counsel.

Prior to joining the firm, James was an associate attorney at a Texas based law firm where he handled the defense of several lawsuits simultaneously and was responsible for communicating with multiple clients on routine updates, litigation developments, budgeting, and case resolution strategy.

James earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and his law degree from SMU Dedman School of Law. While in law school he was a notes editor for the Science and Technology Law Review, and treasurer for the Sports and Entertainment Law Association. He was also a chief counsel at SMU’s civil/consumer legal clinic, where he managed several cases involving business disputes and the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.  

 

Publications

Texas Supreme Court Adopts a Revised Northfield Exception to the Eight-Corners Rule [Alert]

March 08, 2022

James Harper discusses two opinions issued by the Supreme Court of Texas important to Texas’s duty-to-defend analysis.

Education

  • SMU Dedman School of Law, J.D., 2019
  • University of Kentucky, B.A., 2016
  • Texas

Dallas Bar Association, Member of Labor and Employment Law and Litigation Sections