James E.
Wright, III

Position: Partner
Office: New Orleans

Jim Wright is a partner in the Maritime and Litigation practice groups. He represents clients in a broad range of commercial disputes, regulatory investigations, and criminal cases.

Jim has more than four decades of experience as a trial attorney in civil and criminal jury and judge trials in federal and state courts. His areas of practice include maritime, white collar crime, oil and gas regulatory enforcement, environmental, customs, gaming regulatory enforcement, commercial litigation, products liability, personal injury, and professional errors and omissions cases.

Jim has represented plaintiffs and defendants in major maritime litigation in a range of disputes, including the failure of downhole drilling equipment causing the loss of a well, the failure of mooring equipment on a deep water drilling rig, defense of civil claims arising out of the hijacking of a container ship by Somali pirates, and the sinking of a bulk carrier vessel in the North Atlantic with the loss of the crew of 37. He has represented numerous clients involved in federal grand jury investigations arising out of alleged environmental crimes and other federal crimes. He has also represented clients in hearings before US Coast Guard Marine boards of investigations and other US Coast Guard investigations of marine casualties and accidents. He also advises and represents oil and gas clients before federal and state agencies on matters relating to enforcement of oil and gas regulations involving decommissioning orders. On behalf of gaming licensees, he appears before gaming regulatory bodies in connection with gaming enforcement actions.

Prior to joining Jones Walker in 1980, Jim served as an assistant US attorney in the Criminal Division of the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, where he worked in the major drug traffic unit and the general crimes unit, handling federal grand jury investigations and prosecuting mail fraud, perjury, customs crimes, conspiracies to import and distribute controlled substances, false statements to government agencies, theft of government information, environmental crimes, and kidnapping cases.

Noteworthy

Experience

Ruiz, et al. v. Waterman Steamship Corporation and Maersk Line Limited – 2011 WL 4089416 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 2011); ATM Reza, et al. Waterman Steamship Corporation and Maersk Line Limited – Case No.: 02-CV-2012-900746-MAY in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama – Trial counsel for the owner and the bareboat charterer of the M/V MAERSK ALABAMA in defense of civil claims arising out of the hijacking of the M/V MAERSK ALABAMA by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia in April 2009
Dominion Exploration & Production, Inc. et al. v. Delmar Systems, Inc. et al. – 2008 WL 2224839, E.D.La., May 27, 2008, 2008 WL 4809453, E.D.La., November 03, 2008, 2009 WL 701717, E.D.La., March 13, 2009, 2012 WL 6020121, E.D.La., December 03, 2012, 2016 WL 6069495, E.D.La., October 17, 2016, 2016 WL 6276776 CV 07-9492, E.D.La., October 27, 2016 – Trial counsel for oil companies in breach of contract/warranty and products liability litigation involving the failure of a mooring system for a deep-water semi-submersible drilling rig operating in 7800 feet of water on the Outer Continental Shelf off the Coast of Louisiana
In the Matter of Hornbeck Offshore Transportation LLC and Hornbeck Offshore Operators LLC Praying Exoneration From or Limitation of Liability – 2010 WL 3853017, W.D.La., September 21, 2010 – Trial counsel in an admiralty exoneration/limitation action arising out of the sinking of the F/V PATRIOT and the loss of its crew off the coast of Massachusetts in January 2009 and in a related US Coast Guard investigation of the sinking
Cantuba, et al. v. The American Bureau of Shipping, et al. - 811 So. 2d 50 (La. App.4th Cir 2002); 31 So. 3d 397 (La. App.4th Cir 2009); 187 So.3d 995 (Mem), 2016-0081 (La. 3/24/16) – Trial counsel for a Japanese shipyard in a civil case involving claims of representatives of deceased Greek and Filipino crewmen, with said claims arising out of the sinking of the bulk carrier M/V MARIKA with a loss of its crew occurring in the Atlantic Ocean during a severe winter storm
Detroit Diesel Corp. v. Delta Launch Services, LLC, – 2010 WL 1037974, E.D.La., March 18, 2010 – Trial counsel in a maritime products liability claim against a diesel engine manufacturer for defective commercial marine diesel engines for pilot launch vessels
United States Coast Guard Formal Investigation of the Collision between TV Tintomara & Tank Barge DN932 being Pushed by the Towing Vessel Mel Oliver which occurred on July 23, 2008 – Hearing counsel for a barge and cargo owner in the US Coast Guard hearing involving a collision in the Mississippi River off New Orleans between a downbound tanker vessel and a tug pushing a barge, resulting in a discharge of fuel oil into the river and the closing of a 100 mile stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and the Head of Passes for six days
Torch, Incorporated, Owner of the L/B Torch I and Operator of the M/v Chantel Lynn for Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability – 1996 WL 185765 E.D.La., April 16, 1996; 148 F.3d 424 (5th Cir. 1998) – Trial counsel in an admiralty limitation action arising out of an oilfield explosion case involving the rupture of an infield natural gas line located in an oilfield in the Mississippi River Delta
Alliance General Insurance Co. v. Louisiana Sheriff's Automobile Risk Program and The Louisiana Sheriff's Association, Inc. – 52 F.Supp.2d 711, (USDC E.D.La.,1999) – Trial counsel for a wholesale insurance broker and third-party administrator in a civil suit for the rescission of excess automobile liability insurance policies for alleged failure to disclose facts that were important for determination of issuing the policies of insurance
Cinel v. Harry F. Connick, Individually and As District Attorney for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, et al. – 15 F. 3d 1338 (5th Cir. 1994) – Trial counsel in the defense of attorney against civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. 1983 for conspiracy to deprive the plaintiff of his civil rights by making public certain allegedly confidential information gathered during a state criminal investigation
In Re OCEAN RANGER Sinking off Newfoundland on Feb. 15, 1992 – 589 F.Supp. 302, (E.D.La.1984), 1985 A.M.C. 1293 – Defended a Japanese shipyard in a case involving the sinking of a semi-submersible drilling rig occurring in the Atlantic Ocean, off the Coast of Newfoundland
Hudson v. Kim Susan, Inc. – 2007 WL 1063322, E.D.La., April 05, 2007 – Trial counsel for an offshore platform owner/operator in a personal injury claim aboard a supply vessel brought under a Jones Act suit against the employer and platform owner — the platform owner sought indemnity from the employer under terms of vessel charter party contract
Marathon Pipe Line Company v. Drilling Rig Rowan/Odessa, et al., – 527 F.Supp. 824 (E.D.La.1981), 699 F.2d 240 (5th. 1983); 761 F.2d 229 (5th Cir. 1985) – Trial counsel in an oilfield products liability case arising out of the failure of a pipeline coupling device for a pipeline located offshore in the Gulf of Mexico
CNG Producing Co. et al. v. Bethlehem Supply Co., et al. – Trial counsel in an oilfield products liability case arising out of the failure of a downhole well casing set in a well located offshore in the Gulf of Mexico
United States v. Casa Bernardo, LTDA – Trial counsel in a criminal anti-trust case arising out of alleged price fixing in the international aluminum phosphide industry
In Re Aluminum Phosphide Anti-Trust Litigation – Trial counsel in a civil anti-trust case arising out of alleged price fixing in the international aluminum phosphide industry
Giroir v. Texaco Pipeline, Inc., et al. – Trial counsel in a civil oilfield explosion case arising out of the rupture of an infield natural gas line located in an oilfield in the Mississippi River Delta
Ocean Energy, Inc. v. Alexander & Alexander, Inc. – Trial counsel in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) civil action arising out of post policy audits for alleged additional premiums due from an oilfield service company
State of Louisiana v. Allwaste Oilfield Services, Inc. – Trial counsel in a state criminal racketeering case involving the alleged theft of oil from wells in an oilfield
Lewis Crist, Receiver for Transit Casualty Company v. Dixon Welding, Inc., et al. - 957 F. 2d 1281 (5th Cir. 1992) – Trial counsel in a civil insurance agent errors and omissions case arising out of post policy audits brought by the Receiver for Transit Casualty Company for alleged additional premiums due from an oilfield service company
Lewis Crist, Receiver for Transit Casualty Company v. Benton Casing Service, 572 So.2d 99 (La.App. 1 Cir., 1990) – Trial counsel in a civil insurance agent errors and omissions case arising out of post policy audits brought by the Receiver for Transit Casualty Company for alleged additional premiums due from an oilfield service company
Smith v. G. H. Fluid Co., 418 So.2d 6, (La.App. 1 Cir.1982) – Trial counsel in a civil suit against an employer for damages in the wrongful death of a son
Appointed by the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court to defend three state capital murder death penalty cases (1988, 1990, 1993) as pro bono trial counsel and handled various other pro bono appointments in Juvenile Court for Orleans Parish
Fort James Corp. v. T.E. Ratliff – Trial counsel in a civil suit against an employee for embezzlement involving the forging of documents related to advertising promotions
North American Mechanical Services v. Clessi, et al. – Trial counsel in a civil suit against an employee for embezzlement involving the forging of company payroll records
Bartlett v. Browning-Ferris Industries Chemical Services, Inc., 759 So.2d 755, 99-0494 (La. 11/12/99), 726 So.2d 414, 98-341 (La.App. 3 Cir. 12/9/98) – Defended an oilfield waste company in a class action claim brought by neighboring land owners against an oilfield waste disposal site