CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
James "Jim" Potts joined Hughes Watters Askanase in 2005 as a law clerk when he was a second-year law student at the University of Houston. After graduating law school, Jim became an associate in the firm's litigation group. Although he continues to handle many litigation matters, Jim primarily supports the firm's consumer financial services and compliance team.
Jim was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2006 and is licensed to practice in Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern federal districts of Texas.
Before beginning his legal studies, Jim lived in South America for two years where he developed a great appreciation for Latin American history and culture. Jim speaks Spanish fluently. As a result, he routinely reviews and edits Spanish language documents on behalf of business entities that serve the Spanish speaking community. Those documents generally include legal, financial, and marketing material.
CLIENT EXPERIENCE
Jim focuses his practice on consumer financial services, compliance with state and federal consumer finance regulation, and commercial litigation. Jim regularly reviews and edits legal, financial, and marketing documents that have been translated from English to Spanish to assure compliance with the approved English version.
Jim has successfully litigated cases involving a variety of commercial matters including fraud, breach of contract, deceptive trade practices, CERCLA, and the UCC. Jim has negotiated a number of favorable settlements both in and outside of mediation and represented commercial clients as both plaintiff and defendant throughout the litigation process.
Among his significant representations are:
- Represented a local credit union in an intensely contested deficiency action prevailing on all claims while successfully defending counterclaims of fraud and wrongful prosecution.
- Successfully defended a national lending institution against claims of fraud, DTPA, and breach of contract-prevailed on all counterclaims and awarded full attorney's fees.
- Successfully defended a Texas based biodiesel producer in federal CERCLA action.
- Successfully defended a nationwide auto dealership in lawsuit brought by the State of Texas against corporate property obtained through identity theft.
- Served as counsel for a Puerto Rican plastics distributor in a dispute with Texas based suppliers.
EDUCATION
- Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, Magna Cum Laude, University of Texas at Arlington, 2002 (Disciplines: International Trade/Affairs & Latin American Studies)
- Juris Doctorate, University of Houston Law Center, 2006
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Houston Bar Association
- Houston Young Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
AWARDS AND HONORS
- University of Texas at Arlington's Modern Language Award: Outstanding Performance for a Non-Spanish Major 2002
- Business Editor, Houston Journal of International Law, 2005-2006
COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
Jim volunteers as a coach for YMCA tee ball and soccer teams. He is also active in the Boy Scouts of America program.
HOBBIES AND SPECIAL INTERESTS
Jim and his children practice and compete in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu together. He also is an aviation enthusiast, having grown up with a father who was a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot.
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