About James Lee
decades of thorough practice
The law is in James Lee's blood. Born in 1954, the son of an attorney, he developed a sense of equanimity and fairness young and has brought those values to the forefront of his practice. After graduating law school from Santa Clara University, he immediately put his knowledge to use and began representing clients across disparate fields of the law. Below is a condensed history of his practice and some of the most notable examples of his successes.
Education
SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY, Santa Clara, CA
Juris Doctor, Huard Moot Court Competition, Best Brief and Best Oral Advocate
University California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in Economics
Arbitration and Mediation training
Nevada Supreme Court Certified Arbitrator for Clark County District Court Mandatory Arbitration Program
Civil Mediation Training | Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law
Bar Admissions and Affiliations
Admitted California and Nevada
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America • American Bar Association
Nevada Trial Lawyers Association • Clark County Bar Association
Experience
Legal Offices of James J. Lee, LLC, Las Vegas, NV
Principal | 2014 – Present
Civil litigation firm practicing in all state and federal courts, specializing in lender liability, insurance bad faith, consumer law, employment discrimination, serious personal injury and similar disputes. Providing mediation and arbitration services.
John Peter Lee, Ltd., Las Vegas, NV
Of Counsel | 2010 – 2014
Litigation firm practicing in all state and federal courts. Represent individuals and entities in a broad range of disputes involving commercial litigation, banking, bankruptcy, real property, condemnation, construction, commercial disputes, family law, and custody. Trial and appellate practice specializing in disputes involving lender liability, insurance bad faith, employment discrimination, and personal injury.
Law Offices of James J. Lee, Las Vegas, NV
Principal | 1994 –2009
Civil litigation firm practicing in all state and federal courts. Trial and appellate practice specializing in lender liability, insurance bad faith, consumer law, employment discrimination, serious personal injury and similar disputes. Managed and mentored multiple associates as well as support staff.
Representative Matters
Lender Liability
Smith v. Sanwa Bank of California, US District Court. Lead Counsel for transportation company in action for fraudulent concealment of leveraged buyout purchaser’s fraud and embezzlement in obtaining subordination agreement. Case settled before trial for 3.8 million.
Outside Plant v. Bank of America, A346399 District of Nevada. Lead counsel for fiber-optic cable contractor in fraud and civil conspiracy action. Case settled during first week of jury trial for 1.9 million.
Robert V. Jones Corporation v. Bank of America, et. al., A403774 District of Nevada. Initiating and co-lead counsel in action on behalf of developer against bank for fraud and breach of contract arising out of bank’s refusal to fund construction loan commitments. Four week jury trial resulted in verdict for plaintiff and post-trial seven-figure confidential settlement.
Insurance Bad Faith
Harris v. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., A372320 District of Nevada. Initiating and co-lead counsel in bad-faith action arising out of carrier’s systematic and deliberate misinterpretation of Utah no-fault law to deny valid under-insured and uninsured motorist claims made by policy holders. Insurer’s denial of client’s $25,000 UIM claim resulted in $850,000 settlement week before trial. Carrier changed claims practices in Utah and other no-fault states because of lawsuit.
Aspen v St Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co., 2:05-cv-00720 JCM US District Court. Lead counsel in bad faith action arising out of denial of property damage claim where carrier deliberately misrepresented policy language.
Employment
Lind v. Sierra Health Services, A360031 District of Nevada. Lead counsel in employment discrimination and FMLA retaliation action resulted in $750,000 settlement shortly before trial.
Danks v. Sierra Health Services, 2:00-cv-00415-LDG US District Court. Lead counsel in violation of FMLA resulting in mid-six figure settlement shortly before trial.
Mulhollan v. Sierra Health Services, 2:02-cv-1477-LRH; 2006 US Dist. Lexis 63970 (D.Nev. 2006), one week bench trial resulted in $615,000 judgment which included front pay and subsequent award of $181,000 in attorney’s fees.
Guerin v. Smart City Networks, 2:05-cv-00587-LDG US District Court. ADA unlawful employment discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress, constructive discharge action. Offer of judgment in the amount of $495,000 accepted two weeks before trial for forty-three year old minimum wage employee.
Personal Injury
Case name omitted due to confidentiality, District of Nevada. Initiating and lead counsel of adult survivor of child sexual abuse action against step-father. Seven-figure confidential settlement through mediation approximately 30 days before trial.
Huhe v. Smith’s Food and Drug Center, A289843 District of Nevada. Lead counsel in premises-liability action. Client slipped and fell on negligently constructed exit ramp while walking out of supermarket. After extensive discovery, case settled for $800,000.
General Litigation
Initiating and lead counsel on Home Affordable Modification Program ("HAMP") mass tort foreclosure litigation in Nevada (in process).
Co-counsel on behalf of family limited partnership in inverse condemnation action against airport and county for loss of land value due to county imposed building height restrictions. Case resulted in largest inverse condemnation settlement ($38M) in Nevada history.
Initiating and lead counsel in more than sixty (60) foreclosure defense actions in Nevada involving foreclosure fraud and violations of Nevada Unfair Business Practices Act.