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James A. Pardo is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP based in the New York office. He is a member of the Firm’s Trial Department, where he focuses his practice on complex litigation, including class actions, product liability and multi-party mass tort cases.
James works closely with corporate clients to identify, evaluate and address potential environmental, toxic tort and products liabilities before they occur. He has helped many companies develop and implement environmental/health/safety compliance programs, and has served as lead environmental/toxic tort counsel on dozens of mergers and acquisitions, real property transactions and other corporate financing matters. James has successfully handled numerous cases involving alleged violations of hazardous waste, clean water and clean air laws in federal and state courts, and has represented clients in enforcement actions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and various state agencies. He has extensive experience in insurance coverage matters and private cost-recovery disputes under both CERCLA and state Superfund laws, and has represented several corporations and officers in federal and state criminal investigations for alleged environmental violations.
James also maintains an active commercial litigation practice. He is currently representing a major health care software company in several breach of contract matters, and recently won an important victory for a biotechnology client in a research fraud arbitration case. James represents several Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 pharmaceutical, chemical, banking/finance, satellite services and automotive clients in various business-related litigations and arbitration matters.
While at law school, James was a member of the Northwestern University Law Review. Prior to joining the Firm, James served as a law clerk to the Honorable James H. Brickley, former Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. He is a member of the New York bar, and has been admitted to practice before several state and federal courts.
Representative Experience
Lead counsel for international petroleum company in hundreds of MTBE product liability and contamination cases consolidated in the Southern District of New York
Currently served as liaison counsel to the petroleum industry in multi-district product liability litigation
Recently served as liaison counsel to the petroleum industry and successfully defeated class certification in In re Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) Products Liability Litigation, a multi-district putative class action in the Southern District of New York
Obtained one of the first decisions in the United States to dismiss MTBE product liability claims on federal preemption grounds and the first decision in New York to dismiss consumer fraud claims based on the use of MTBE in gasoline
Education
Northwestern University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1993
University of Michigan, B.G.S. (with high distinction), 1990 | 