James McDonald is a partner in the San Diego office of Lewis Brisbois and is a member of the Products Liability and Toxic Tort & Environmental Litigation Practice. Mr. McDonald’s practice focuses on the defense of complex multi-party litigation involving products liability, toxic tort, and environmental matters. A substantial part of his practice also focuses on general liability matters, personal injury, HOA disputes, ADA disputes, property management issues, automobile and trucking accidents, insurance coverage, and UM/UIM matters.

Mr. McDonald has defended individual and corporate clients in state and federal courts throughout California. He has obtained favorable settlements for clients in numerous matters.

Some of Mr. McDonald’s representative matters include the following:

• Obtained a complete defense verdict after a jury trial relating to an assault and battery on a commercial premises;
• Obtained a complete defense verdict following a jury trial concerning a slip and fall accident on a construction site;
• Secured dismissal of multiple lawsuits against a manufacturer of “smart” utility meters for claims relating to alleged electromagnetic radiation;
• Obtained dismissal of unfair business practices lawsuit brought by competitor of finance and accounting consulting firm;
• Secured summary judgment in Federal Court on behalf of power saw manufacturer over product defect claims;
• Represented brand name seller of power tools in connection with product defect lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions;
• Represented insurer in complex multi-party insurance coverage cases arising out of asbestos and environmental contamination claims.

Prior to law school, Mr. McDonald worked for an international logistics consulting firm.

Admissions

• State Bar Admissions
  • California
  • District of Columbia
  • Massachusetts
  • Virginia
• United States District Courts
  • United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of California
  • United States District Court for the District of Columbia
  • United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
• United States Courts of Appeals
• United States Supreme Court

Admissions

California

Virginia

Massachusetts

Washington D.C.

U.S. District Court – Northern District of California

U.S. District Court – Central District of California

U.S. District Court – Southern District of California

U.S. District Court – District of Massachusetts

U.S. District Court – District of Columbia

U.S. Supreme Court

Associations

• San Diego County Bar Association
• San Diego Defense Lawyers

Education

Suffolk University Law School

Juris Doctor, cum laude, 2001

Georgetown University

Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service, 1996