James leads the firm's Environmental Law Service Group. He is an environmental lawyer with over 20 years of experience representing corporate clients, government bodies and citizens in complex environmental litigation and counseling matters. He has proven his effectiveness with significant victories in state and federal courts, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals.
James has litigated matters relating to virtually all state and federal environmental laws. He has particular experience litigating matters under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Atomic Energy Act, CERCLA, RCRA and EPCRA. He represented a large Illinois utility company successfully by convincing a federal court to order several companies to pay the utilities cleanup costs in a CERCLA case. James has also represented citizen groups in upholding environmental and zoning laws and was counsel of record in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. He played a significant role in cases involving radioactive thorium in West Chicago and groundwater contamination in DuPage County. He represents a variety of developers and homeowners in matters involving Illinois lakes and the Chicago River and recently spoke on citizen suits at Northwestern University Law School.
James is a LEED® Accredited Professional, having passed the U.S. Green Building Council's examination which demonstrates a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. According to the USGBC website, James is the first practicing Illinois attorney to be recognized as a LEED AP, which provides him with the expertise to counsel real estate clients seeking to design, construct or renovate building using green or sustainable business practices. He has lectured on green leasing and LEED requirements.
James has worked as an attorney with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He has extensive knowledge regarding climate change, and was recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal in connection with his visit to Greenland to observe global warming firsthand. James spearheaded LP's efforts to become the first Chicago-based law firm to join the Chicago Climate Exchange, in which the Firm has committed to calculate and offset its carbon dioxide emissions. He appeared on an American Bar Association Panel on Sustainability, and led LP's efforts to become the first law firm in the United States to adopt the ABA Model Sustainability Policy and Implementation Guidelines. James is a member of LP's Environmental Task Force and a member of its Green Development Initiative. He is an accomplished author on environmental issues. He has been published in the Illinois Bar Journal, Midwest Real Estate News, BNA's Environmental Reporter and Nation’s Cities Weekly on topics including how companies can go green, trading of pollution rights and RCRA and CERCLA enforcement.