Attorney Overview

Clients appreciate the attentive service and zealous representation Eddie James brings to matters, both large and small. He often represents contractors, design professionals, owners, design-builders, engineering procurement and construction contractors, lenders, and suppliers on a wide variety of real estate and construction litigation matters in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration and mediation.

Eddie has experience on infrastructure projects such as highways, bridges, government offices and structures, airports, wastewater facilities, power plants, ethanol plants, oil refineries, pipelines, and wind farms. He also has experience in projects involving the life sciences, health care, hospitality, as well as with educational and religious institutions.

Eddie has first chair jury trial experience in Missouri and Kansas and has handled and argued appeals in those states as well. He also has participated in numerous arbitrations and has first chair experience in significant arbitrations.

Assisted by experience gained as a former clerk to a judge sitting on the U.S. Court of Appeals,Eddie has been involved in matters in federal courts across the nation. His federal court experience includes pursuing and defending claims in bankruptcy court.

In construction disputes, Eddie has prepared and defended claims in numerous areas of construction law including contract default claims, payment disputes, bid contests, delays, acceleration and inefficiency claims, re-engineering and design-error claims, MBE/DBE challenges, insurance coverage claims, mechanic’s lien and payment-bond claims, claims concerning Americans with Disabilities Act liability, and claims regarding priority of interest in real estate.

On behalf of lenders, Eddie has defended a variety of lender liability claims including claims asserting breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, wrongful foreclosure, and statutory violations. He has also pursued the efficient resolution of disputes involving monies owed from defaulting parties through negotiations, workouts, and litigation, as needed.

Distinctions

• “Future Star” recognition by Benchmark Litigation, 2017-2018
• AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
• Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of:
  • Construction Law, 2011-2018
  • Litigation – Construction, 2011-2018
• Selected for inclusion in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, 2009-2016
• Selected for inclusion in “Best of the Bar” by The Kansas City Business Journal, 2011-2015
• “Local Litigation Star” recognition by Benchmark Litigation, 2014-2015
• Selected “Up and Coming” Lawyer by Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2007
• First-Chair jury trial experience in both Missouri and Kansas courts
• First-Chair arbitration experience
• First-Chair experience in administrative hearings regarding MBE/DBE challenges