Overview
James L. Kauffman concentrates his practice on complex business litigation and class actions specifically in the areas of consumer protection, business litigation, and securities. James has represented consumers, investors, state attorneys general, municipalities, and whistleblowers in a wide variety of disputes in both court and arbitration forums across the country.
Notably, James represented shareholders in one of the largest securities litigation matters in history, In re Initial Public Offerings Security Litigation (21 MC 92) (SDNY), a case that involved 309 tech-bubble IPOs and 55 investment brokerage defendants and recovered $586 million.
James regularly speaks at business tort seminars across the country and also on nationally syndicated radio and television shows. He covers topics such as financial industry regulation, consumer fraud, ERISA, and whistleblower protection.
He is also actively involved in the community and provides pro bono legal services to Laugh for Sight, a non-profit organization that raises money for eye disease research through comedy benefits in Los Angeles and New York City.
Government Service / Previous Employment
- Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley (1999)
Practice Areas
Education
J.D., University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law, 2002, cum laude
B.S.B.A., University of Florida, 1998
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Arkansas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Experience
Representative Matters
- Obtained $19.8 million recovery of employees’ retirement benefits from trustee and individual officers of a closely held private company
- Represented a borrower challenging estimated attorney’s fees tacked onto his mortgage loan in Prescott v. Seterus, a case that involved two separate appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; work resulted in two significant appellate opinions that strengthened nationwide consumer debt collection law and led to industry-wide reform, and this precedent paved the way for several recoveries for borrowers from their banks or loan servicers where James served as class counsel
- Obtained $586 million recovery for shareholders against 309 IPO companies and 55 investment banks in one of the largest securities fraud litigations in history
- Obtained $20 million recovery for shareholders against semiconductor supplier company in connection with the backdating of employee stock option grants
- Represented shareholders against certain officers and directors who participated in a massive Medicare fraud. Resulted in significant corporate reforms and removal of CEO, CFO and General Counsel