Jim is the former managing partner of the firm's Pittsburgh office. He is involved in the defense of pharmaceutical and medical device products on behalf of the products' manufacturers. He has defended the Bjork-Shiley heart valve, breast implants, artificial hips and knees, endoscopic linear cutters, surgical staplers and tools, stents, fracture fixation devices, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and the OrthoEvra patch, among others. Jim is also involved in the defense of chemical and fiber products including products that contain asbestos, talc, benzene and acrylamide. He presently serves as national coordinating counsel for a mineral miner and processor in litigation, which is active in numerous jurisdictions. He has an active NCAA practice in which he represents coaches in hearings before the Committee on Infractions, defending against allegations of NCAA bylaw violations and has been involved in the Committee on Infractions hearings involving numerous universities and colleges.