Biography
Jim Wade has tried numerous criminal and civil cases across the United States during his legal career, which spans five decades. He is a member of the firm’s Business Litigation Group.
Litigation
Jim helps businesses in various industries resolve their disputes, such as claims of breach of contract, unfair and deceptive trade practices, fraud, and securities and antitrust violations. His clients range from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Jim is a highly experienced trial lawyer who has secured multi-million dollar verdicts on behalf of clients, including an $18.3 million jury verdict for a computer sales company.
For more than 20 years, Jim served as outside counsel to the Connecticut Democratic Party, and he has represented three Connecticut governors in litigation. He was responsible for drafting the procedural and substantive rules of the party and represented them before the United States Supreme Court in connection with a reapportionment case. Jim has represented numerous public officials in Connecticut in litigation involving constitutional election and voting issues.
Government Investigations, Corporate Compliance, and Criminal Defense
Jim has tried complex criminal and civil cases involving antitrust, securities fraud, government contracting fraud, mail fraud, and public corruption. He represents major corporations, their employees, and individuals. He has secured acquittals for clients charged with various crimes, including defrauding the Internal Revenue Service, criminal negligence, contracting fraud, and antitrust and environmental violations.
Jim has represented numerous Fortune 500 companies on compliance issues, including grand jury investigation compliance, securities regulation, banking issues, and environmental concerns. He regularly assists companies following incidents which result in investigations by government agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and law enforcement. After incidents involving employee injuries, he has helped employers navigate government probes and avoid citations.
Jim has been a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers since 1980. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© in the areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation since 2006, Commercial Litigation since 1983, Personal Injury Litigation since 2011, and White Collar Criminal Defense since 2006. He is also listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business.