James Manley

For more than 20 years, clients ranging from product manufacturers and public utilities to corporate officers and directors have counted on trial lawyer James B. Manley as a trusted advisor and as lead defense counsel in high-exposure litigation.

Jim has extensive experience litigating commercial disputes and cases in the areas of consumer product safety and product liability, high-exposure torts and catastrophic injury, and professional and fiduciary liability.

He also acts as counselor and advisor to a number of chief legal officers and general counsel in the manufacturing, retail, insurance services and financial services industries.

In his product liability practice, Jim guides clients in all aspects of product regulation, safety and potential hazards, including investigations, product recalls and other corrective actions, warnings and testing.

He advises clients regarding compliance with the reporting requirements of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the federal agency charged with ensuring product safety, counseling them through national and international product recalls and guiding product and incident investigation teams consisting of subject matter experts from multiple technical and scientific disciplines.

In addition to counseling manufacturers on risk management, warranty-related issues and warnings-related issues in a non-litigation context, he has successfully tried cases on behalf of Fortune 100 companies in state and federal courts throughout Georgia, and in Texas and Florida, and assisted in the creation of a national litigation discovery program for a Fortune 10 company.

Jim also practices in the area of professional and fiduciary liability, including offering counsel to directors and officers of financial institutions in adversary proceedings brought by the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) asserting negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and other claims. He also represents directors and officers in proceedings involving corporate governance and professional duties.

Jim has been recognized numerous times as a Pro Bono All-Star for his efforts on behalf of nonprofit organizations focused on the needs of children, women and families.

Representative Matters :

• Advises clients regarding compliance with the reporting requirements of the CPSC, the federal agency charged with ensuring product safety.
• Leads and guides product and incident investigation teams consisting of subject matter experts from multiple technical and scientific disciplines.
• Counsels manufacturers on risk management, warranty-related issues and warnings-related issues in a non-litigation context.
• Represented clients in litigation, including wrongful death litigation, involving fires and explosions.
• Counsel to directors and officers of financial institutions in adversary proceedings brought by the FDIC asserting negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and other claims.

Professional and Community Involvement :

• Board of Advisors, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
• Board of Trustees, WellStar Medical System Foundation
• Board of Trustees, United Methodist Children’s Home of North Georgia
• Board of Trustees, Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence, 2011-2015

EDUCATION :

• Mercer University, Walter F. George School of Law, J.D., 1996
• University of Georgia, B.A., 1993

BAR ADMISSIONS : Georgia

COURT ADMISSIONS :

• Georgia Court of Appeals
• Supreme Court of Georgia
• Supreme Court of the United States
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia