
T : 503.944.6025 F: 503.295.1058
FEATURED CASE STUDIES
$1 Billion Successful Lone Star Funds Securities Derivative Defense
Successful Defense of Johnson & Johnson Against $20 Million Claim
WaferTech Cost–Overrun Litigation – Jury Trial and Multiple Appeals
Oregon Health & Science University Coverage Litigation and Broker Malpractice Litigation



James T. McDermott
Environmental, Employment, Insurance Recovery, Construction Defect, Litigation, Construction and Design, Financial Services, Corporate, Finance and Corporate, Hospitality, Investigations & White-Collar Crime
Jim McDermott is the long-time head of the firm’s Litigation Department and is past chairman of the firm. Mr. McDermott is a commercial business litigator and trial lawyer who represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex cases. He has tried scores of cases and argued appeals in federal and state courts throughout the country on a broad range of issues for nationally known public and private companies, small businesses, and individuals.
Chambers USA has recognized Mr. McDermott for many years as an industry leader, with peers highlighting his “tremendous” “presence in court,” along with his “forceful stance and impressive technical skills.” They have also called him a “very impressive lawyer” with an “extremely responsive, client-focused litigation management approach” who provides “smart advice that is always on the money,” and he is “on top of his game when it comes to strategy.”
Mr. McDermott has received the AV® Preeminent™ Rating from Martindale–Hubbell®. He has been consistently listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Insurance; and Litigation – Securities. He has been selected as an Oregon Super Lawyer, by Super Lawyers Magazine for well over a decade. Mr. McDermott has also been listed as one of “Oregon’s Top Rated Lawyers” by ALM Legal Leaders, published by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel magazine, affiliated with Martindale-Hubbell®.
Mr. McDermott has successfully tried cases involving a wide array of large-dollar commercial business disputes, with particular emphasis on corporate governance, construction, shareholders’ rights, professional liability, securities, regulatory, false claims, civil penalty actions, real estate, and insurance recovery. More recently, he has handled internal investigations for clients and represented individuals being investigated for, or charged with, financial crime. He has also successfully resolved claims and lawsuits in a wide range of insurance areas, recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for clients from domestic and foreign insurers. His insurance recovery practice ranges from large-scale litigation on behalf of corporate policyholders under complex occurrence-based and claims-made coverages, to individual claims under property, disability, health, and other personal policies. Mr. McDermott likewise represents brokers and agents and reinsurance intermediaries – including some of the largest firms in the world – when they become enmeshed in coverage disputes and litigation.
Mr. McDermott also represents public officials in high stakes political investigations. Recent engagements include his representation of United States Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland in the Congressional impeachment inquiry, as well as a former Governor in an ethics investigation.
Before joining Ball Janik in 1993, Mr. McDermott practiced with Covington & Burling, the largest law firm in Washington, DC, where he litigated, arbitrated, and tried cases across the country for five years. After earning his law degree from the University of Virginia, he served for one year as a judicial law clerk to Federal District Judge James L. Latchum in the District of Delaware.
Throughout his 35 year career, Mr. McDermott has lectured on a wide range of legal and business issues, taught trial practice courses, and authored articles on insurance coverage matters and construction issues. He has been appointed as an arbitrator and mediator in several cases and has served as an expert witness in attorneys’ fee disputes, insurance coverage cases, and construction cases. For the past two decades, Mr. McDermott has also served on many Judicial Screening Committees for several Oregon Governors.
practice areas
education
J.D., 1985
University of Virginia School of Law
Member, Virginia Law Review
B.S., summa cum laude, Accounting, Law and Public Policy, 1982
Syracuse University
admissions
- District of Columbia
- Idaho
- Oregon
- Washington
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Tax Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- U.S. Supreme Court
honors
- AV® Preeminent™ Rating
Martindale–Hubbell®, American Registry - Chambers USA Industry Leader, Litigation/Commercial, 2009–2017
- The Best Lawyers in America list since 2012
- Recognized as one of “Oregon’s Top Rated Lawyers” in 2013 by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel magazine, published by ALM Legal Leaders, affiliated with Martindale–Hubbell®.
- Oregon Super Lawyers list, 2006–2019
- Recognized in 2013 Super Lawyers Business Edition, The List, Litigation
- Named in the Irish Voice’s “2013 Irish Legal 100”
news
- Fourteen Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2020 List
08/15/2019 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Selected to 2019 Oregon Super Lawyers List
07/05/2019 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Recognized in Chambers USA 2019
04/24/2019 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Named to the 2019 Best Lawyers in America List
08/15/2018 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Selected to 2018 Oregon Super Lawyers List
07/24/2018 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Stephen Janik and James McDermott Recognized in Chambers USA 2018
05/07/2018 - Ball Janik LLP ranked in the 2018 “Best Law Firms” list by U.S. News® – Best Lawyers®
11/01/2017 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Named to the 2018 Best Lawyers in America List
08/15/2017 - Jim McDermott Featured in the Oregon State Bar Bulletin and Super Lawyers Oregon 2017
07/01/2017 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Selected to 2017 Super Lawyers List
07/10/2017 - Ball Janik LLP’s Portland Office and Attorneys Stephen Janik and James McDermott Recognized in the Chambers USA 2017 guide
06/19/2017 - Ball Janik LLP Ranked in the 2017 “Best Law Firms” list by U.S. News – Best Lawyers®
11/02/2016 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers 2017
08/15/2016 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Selected to 2016 Super Lawyers List
07/11/2016 - Ball Janik LLP and Attorneys Stephen Janik and James McDermott Recognized by Chambers USA 2016
06/23/2016 - Ball Janik LLP Ranked as a 2016 “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News – Best Lawyers®
11/02/2015 - Six Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers 2016
08/17/2015 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Named 2015 Oregon Super Lawyers
07/10/2015 - Ball Janik LLP Receives Recognition as Top Ranked Firm by Chambers USA 2015
06/15/2015 - Ball Janik LLP Named One of Oregon’s 2014 Most Admired Companies
12/05/2014 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers 2015
08/19/2014 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Named 2014 Oregon Super Lawyers
07/11/2014 - Ball Janik LLP Receives Recognition as Top Ranked Firm by Chambers USA 2014
05/29/2014 - Ball Janik LLP Recognized by Best Lawyers 2014
08/15/2013 - Ball Janik LLP Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers 2013
08/30/2012 - Seven Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2012
09/13/2011
events
- Ball Janik Attorneys Present at IIABO’s 90th Annual Convention, 08/28/2018, Portland, Oregon
- What you Need to Know About D&O, and Best Practices for Minimizing Risk, 10/05/2017, Portland, Oregon
- OWLS 2017 Fashion Show, 08/03/2017, Portland, Oregon
- Oregon State Bar Business Litigation Section CLE, 05/10/2017, Portland, Oregon
- Top 10 Most Questionable Decisions in Oregon Construction Insurance, 04/07/2011, Portland, Oregon
- Condominiums: Opportunities and Pitfalls
FEATURED CASE STUDIES
$1 Billion Successful Lone Star Funds Securities Derivative Defense
Successful Defense of Johnson & Johnson Against $20 Million Claim
WaferTech Cost–Overrun Litigation – Jury Trial and Multiple Appeals
Oregon Health & Science University Coverage Litigation and Broker Malpractice Litigation


