JAMES R. BRANIT

Jim concentrates his practice in appeals, civil litigation, and insurance coverage. He has successfully handled over 100 appeals in various state and federal courts. In addition, he defends policyholders and self-insureds against complex claims, including products liability, toxic tort, professional liability, construction injury, class actions, and federal statutory actions and defends businesses in commercial litigation. He represents a national bank in consumer litigation, and defends a national homebuilder in construction defect, warranty and contract disputes. Jim also provides coverage opinions and litigates declaratory judgment actions on behalf of insurers on complex issues of policy interpretation, including environmental, professional liability, personal/advertising injury, bad faith, construction defect, excess and umbrella, additional insured, first-party property, business risk, and cargo liability. He also has extensive experience in matters relating to employment, trade secret and intellectual property disputes.

Jim has been rated an AV® Preeminent™ lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, representing the recognition of the highest level of professional excellence by his peers.

Jim served as a judicial law clerk for Chief Justice Thomas J. Moran of the Illinois Supreme Court, and for the Honorable Jack B. Schmetterer of the United States Bankruptcy Court.

Education

• Illinois Institute of Technology/Chicago-Kent College of Law, JD, 1985, high honors; BA, 1983, high honors (combined degree)

Admissions

• llinois
• United States District Courts: Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Indiana, Eastern District of Wisconsin
• United States Courts of Appeal: Seventh Circuit, Eighth Circuit, Eleventh Circuit
• United States Supreme Court

Publications

• "Reconciling Free Speech and Equality: What Justifies Censorship?" 9 Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy 429 (1986)

Representative Reported Cases

• Lazenby v. Mark’s Construction, Inc., 236 Ill.2d 83, 923 N.E.2d 735, 337 Ill.Dec. 884 (2010)
• Grey Direct, Inc. v. Erie Ins. Exchange, 460 F.3d 895 (7th Cir. 2006)
• Dal Pozzo v. Basic Machine Company, Incorporated, 463 F.3d 609 (2006)
• AAA Disposal Systems, Inc. v. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 355 Ill.App.3d 275 (2005)
• Barnard v. Saturn Corp., 790 N.E.2d 1023 (Ind.Ct.App. 2003)
• Los Amigos Supermarket, Inc. v. Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company, 306 Ill.App.3d 115, 713 N.E.2d 686, 239 Ill. Dec. 155 (1999)
• Missouri Pacific Railroad Co. v. International Ins. Co., 288 Ill.App.3d 69 (1997)
• Matei v. Cessna Aircraft Co., 35 F.3d 1142 ( 7th Cir. 1994)
• Chrysler v. Darnall, 238 Ill.App.3d 673 (1992)