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James Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald Law Firm
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James Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald Law Firm
Cheyenne,
 WY

With decades of experience, Jim Fitzgerald represents people in complex damages cases in the areas of Products Liability resulting in catastrophic injuries and death, Workplace Liability, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury, and Wrongful Death.

His trial record includes numerous multi-million-dollar jury awards and several records for jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. Jim has been trial counsel in nearly half of the million-dollar verdicts in the history of Wyoming. He holds the record for both the largest injury verdict and the largest wrongful death verdict ever upheld on appeal in Wyoming.

Getting large verdicts is one thing. Upholding them on appeal is another, requiring meticulous preparation, finding evidence and presenting it at trial, and a sense of what needs to be in the record of the trial. Jim has devoted much time and energy to building cases that will withstand appeal.

After working his way through the University of Wyoming, Jim attended Army Officer Candidate School, ranking in the top ten percent of his class, served in Vietnam, and was awarded two Bronze Stars, the Army Commendation Medal, and a Letter of Commendation. After that, he graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law,

Jim became interested in trial practice while in law school and worked with a trial lawyer in Denver, gaining his first insights into product liability cases. Jim’s passion for helping injured people go to trial against large corporations grew from that experience.

Jim started his law practice in 1975 and founded The Fitzgerald Law Firm in 1982 with the cornerstone belief of finding truth and justice. By focusing exclusively on working with severely injured clients and families who have lost loved ones, Jim has developed a national reputation for delivering extraordinary results.

In 2020, Jim was invited to be a part of America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®, a distinctive invitation-only membership given to lawyers who have litigated cases worth at least $2,000,000 at stake.

Jim is a member of several other exclusive trial lawyer organizations including the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the Inner Circle of Advocates, an organization limited to 100 of the top plaintiff lawyers in the country. In order for a lawyer to be admitted into any of these groups, they must be nominated anonymously – without their knowledge – by peers and recommended by judges.

Jim has made more than 100 presentations on various trial topics to members of the trial bar throughout the United States. He is one of a distinguished group of attorneys who have been listed in Best Lawyers in America© for twenty years or longer.

Over the decades, Jim has adapted with the times to continue to provide top-tier legal services to clients from all over the U.S. and abroad. In 2015 he was joined in practice by his son, Michael, who has brought a new depth of knowledge to the firm.

Admitted:

1975, Wyoming and U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming

1976, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

1979, U.S. Supreme Court

1993, Colorado

2001, U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Member:

America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®

National Trial Lawyers: Top 100

American Association for Justice

Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association

Inner Circle of Advocates (President, 2000 to 2001)

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association

American Board of Trial Advocates

International Academy of Trial Lawyers

American College of Trial Lawyers

International Society of Barristers

National Board of Trial Advocacy

The American College of Board Certified Attorneys

Wyoming State Bar

Recognition:

The Best Lawyers in America©, 1987 – Present

Mountain States Super Lawyers®, 2007 – Present

Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Lawyers in America

Memberships:

Jim Fitzgerald is also a member of several prestigious, invitation-only trial bar associations. Jim is one of 36 attorneys in the nation to be a member in each of the Inner Circle of Advocates, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American College of Trial Lawyers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Inner Circle of Advocates (President 2000-2001)

This is an invitation-only group. Prospective members must be nominated by the current members, pass a background and experience investigation, including reviews by leading lawyers and judges, and meet the rigorous requirements for membership.

Here is the Inner Circle’s description on the web: “The Inner Circle is an invitation-only group, limited to 100 lawyers of excellent character and integrity, representing people throughout the United States. To qualify, members must have tried at least 50 personal injury jury trials and at least 3 verdicts in excess of one million-dollars or 1 verdict in excess of ten million-dollars. Most of our members have won many multimillion dollar verdicts for their clients.” Jim is Wyoming’s only member.

International Academy of Trial Lawyers

This, too, is an invitation-only group. Prospective members must meet the requirements for membership, stated as follows by the Academy:

“Membership in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers is limited to attorneys who have been admitted to the practice of law for a minimum of twelve (12) years and must be principally engaged in trial and appellate practice. Attorneys admitted to fellowship in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers must possess, to an exceptional degree, superior skill and recognized ability in trial and appellate practice; services rendered in promoting the best interests of the legal profession and the highest standards and techniques of advocacy; excellent character and absolute integrity.”

To ensure candidates meet those requirements, they must pass a background and experience check, including reviews by leading lawyers and judges. The number of Fellows in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers is limited to five hundred (500) active Fellows. Jim is one of two members from Wyoming.

American College of Trial Lawyers

The College description is as follows: “The American College of Trial Lawyers is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only, after careful investigation and peer review by other lawyers and judges, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and those whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years’ experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. Membership in the College cannot exceed 1% of the total lawyer population of any state or province. Fellows are carefully selected from among those who represent plaintiffs and those who represent defendants in civil cases; those who prosecute and those who defend persons accused of crime. The College is thus able to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the administration of justice. The College strives to improve and elevate the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the trial profession.

An invitation-only organization, The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 is composed of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region who meet stringent qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature and public profile. The selection process for this elite honor is a multi-phase process based upon objective and uniformly applied criteria which include peer nominations combined with third-party research.

The Trucking Trial Lawyers Association – Top 10 is an invitation-only professional organization composed of and limited to the Top 10 attorneys from each state or region who serve individuals and families who need attorneys to represent them in the American legal system regarding Trucking claims.

Its description is: “The International Society of Barristers is an honor society of outstanding trial lawyers chosen by their peers on the basis of excellence and integrity in advocacy. Membership is limited and members are elected by the Society’s Board of Governors on nomination by a Fellow and after inquiry directed to other Barristers in the nominee’s region and to judges before whom the nominee has tried cases.”

Jim is also a member of the following:

American Association for Justice (Formerly American Trial Lawyers Association)

America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®

Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association (past president)

Wyoming chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (founder and past president)

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association

National Board of Trial Advocacy

Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Irish Legal 100

The American College of Board Certified Attorneys

Board Certifications

Jim Fitzgerald is Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and a member of national professional organizations dedicated to board certified attorneys. As a Board Certified Attorney, Jim has demonstrated skill and expertise in particular fields and has proven it through rigorous examination and testing by accredited organizations.

National Board of Trial Advocacy

Jim is triple-board certified by the NBTA in Civil Trial, Civil Practice Advocacy and Truck Accident Law.

“The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) is a nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of trial advocacy and aiding consumers in their selection of experienced legal representation.

Their mission is to inform and educate the public concerning legal representation by board-certified specialists. And to recognize and promote excellence in legal advocacy through a national program certifying specialists predicated on high standards of demonstrated competence and integrity.”

American Board of Trial Advocates

Jim is a member of ABOTA, the national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges.

“ABOTA is an invitation-only organization. Members must have at least five years of active experience as trial lawyers, have tried at least 10 civil jury trials to conclusion and possess additional litigation experience. Members must also exhibit the virtues of civility, integrity and professionalism by following our Code of Professionalism and Principles of Civility”.

American College of Board Certified Attorneys

The American College of Board Certified Attorneys (ACBCA) is a not for profit professional organization for attorneys who are Board Certified. The ACBCA supports activities to identify and recognize those attorneys who have met or exceeded rigorous certification standards relating to their area of practice.


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