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James W. Joseph Print

James Joseph is of counsel at Eimer Stahl Klevorn & Solberg LLP. His practice focuses on large commercial contract disputes, but he has also litigated matters involving construction, mass toxic and environmental torts, accounting and other professional malpractice, zoning and land use, trusts and estates, antitrust, securities, mortgage and consumer fraud, insurance, and attorney discipline.  Among other recent matters, he has:  

  • Represented CITGO Petroleum Corporation in a dispute with a former franchisee, obtaining a summary judgment award in CITGO’s favor of more than $3 million and successfully defeating the franchisee’s $188 million counterclaim.  CITGO Petroleum Corp. v. Ranger Enterprises, Inc.,  632 F.Supp.2d 878 (W.D. Wis. Jul 9, 2009)
  • Successfully represented residential tenants in a constitutional challenge to the inspection ordinance and practices of the Village of Lyons, Illinois.
  • Defended CITGO in a Texas arbitration against a buyer that sought damages when CITGO declared force majeure following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  The arbitrator denied the plaintiff’s recovery and awarded CITGO its attorneys' fees.
  • Represented Holcim (US) Inc., a leading cement producer, in the appeal of a subcontractor's arbitration award, and in related cases in the Texas state and federal courts.   The appellate court reversed the $5 million award (confirmed by the trial court) against Holcim.
  • Defended Holcim to a favorable arbitration award in fraud and breach of contract claims brought by a Canadian supplier.
  • Represented CITGO before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed the dismissal of a claim against CITGO for allegedly interfering in the plaintiff's offshore exploration efforts.
  • Represented the Community Colleges of Chicago in a successful accounting malpractice action, resolving in the Colleges’ favor a matter of first impression before the Illinois Supreme Court.  Board of Trustees of Community College Dist. No. 508, County of Cook v. Coopers & Lybrand, 803 N.E.2d 460 (2003).  

In 1998, Mr. Joseph helped found and served as the Assistant Director for the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship, a legal clinic at the University of Chicago Law School that assisted low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs.  He simultaneously held an appointment as a Lecturer at Law at the University of Chicago Law School, where he taught Entrepreneurship and the Law.   

Mr. Joseph began his legal career at Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, and before joining Eimer Stahl Klevorn & Solberg LLP was associated with Hedlund & Hanley, LLC.  He is a 1991 graduate (with honors) of Cornell University and a 1994 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, where he served on The University of Chicago Law Review and received the Thomas R. Mulroy Prize for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy.  

Mr. Joseph is admitted to the bars of Illinois, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Northern District of Illinois (including Trial Bar), and the Western District of Wisconsin.