James L. Chapman, IV

• Federal and state court litigation in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Maryland, New Mexico and California.
• Defend businesses and individuals in casualty litigation arising from injury, death, property damage and other torts.
• Vessel arrests and attachments to obtain security for maritime liens.
• Maritime salvage disputes, including treasure salvage.
• Lecturer on insurance and other topics of interest to the maritime industry.
• Adjunct Professor of Law, Regent University School of Law (2001—2011)
• Captain, United States Army, Judge Advocate General’s Corps (Active Duty 1982-1986).

CASE RESULTS DEPEND ON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH CASE.  THEY DO NOT GUARANTEE OR PREDICT SIMILAR RESULTS IN FUTURE CASES.

TRIALS

• Obtained defense jury verdict in $10,000,000 railroad worker asbestosis case
• Obtained judgment of exoneration for a leading aggregate supplier arising from vessel casualty
• Successfully defended marine equipment manufacturer in product liability defect case involving widespread structural failure claims
• Obtained defense jury verdict in favor of raw materials supplier sued by manufacturer for $1,500,000 on claim of supplying contaminated product; jury awarded $900,000 to client on counterclaim against manufacturer
• Obtained $48,000,000 maritime salvage award of gold treasure and $2,000,000 of other historic artifacts recovered from the 1857 wreck of the S.S. Central America
• Obtained $16,000,000 jury verdict for bank defrauded in loan participation scheme
• Obtained $600,000 judgment against vessel for damage to historic railroad bridge

ADR

• Favorably resolved wrongful death claim by estates of three families collectively seeking $25,000,000 for drowning deaths at marina
• Favorably resolved $10,000,000 claim for traumatic lower extremity amputation
• Favorably resolved $20,000,000 claim for catastrophic brain injury to maritime worker
• Successfully settled $20,000,000 marina fire loss claim for consortium of insurers following favorable liability ruling on summary judgment
• Obtained favorable recovery on behalf of insurer in mass tort carbon monoxide poisoning and death cases against gas hot water system installer
• Favorably resolved $2,000,000 dissident shareholder claim on behalf of majority shareholders of privately held mortgage brokerage without litigation

TRANSACTIONS

• Borrower’s counsel for closely held commercial fishing business in complex $15,000,000 multi-vessel fleet refinancing transaction
• Seller’s counsel for closely-held alcohol beverage distribution business in multi-phased $30,000,000 purchase

• “American Justice: The Intersection of Legal Liability and Autonomous Systems”, 2019 Unmanned Systems Symposium, AUVSI (October 2019)
•  To Be Forgotten…or Not to Be Forgotten?, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting, Debate Panel Moderator (August 2, 2019)
• Mitigating the Cost of Data Breach, Defense Research Institute (DRI), Data and Security Dispatch, Volume 4 Issue 2 (October 4, 2018)
• American Justice: At the Intersection of Legal Liability and Autonomous Systems, presented at the 2nd Annual Unmanned Systems Conference (October 9-10, 2018), Sponsored by the AUVSI Ridge & Valley Chapter, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
• Tools, Toys and Torts:  What You Need to Know about Aerial Drones in Virginia, sponsored by Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association (September 20, 2018)
• FRA-Mandated Conductor Training Programs: Don’t Let Yours Become a Train Wreck, sponsored by Virginia Railroad Association (October 2, 2017 Annual Meeting)
• Shipping and Maritime Law 2014, Roundtable Panel, presented by Corporate Live Wire (October 2014)
• Deconstructing a Jury Trial, presented to Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association (2011)
• Red Letter Clauses in Marina Slip Leases, presented at SEALI Annual Meeting (2008)
• Marine Insurance Claims and Practice, presented at Lorman Marine Insurance Seminar (2007)
• Ten Tempting (But Improper) Closing Arguments, presented at SEALI Annual Meeting (2004)