James W. White

My name is James and I'm a trial lawyer.  I grew up in a blue collar family with five siblings and started in the sport of wrestling at a young age.  I think this background has given me an advantage when it comes to both work ethic and perspective as a trial lawyer.  I promise my clients and myself that I will not be outworked on a case.  While many lawyers say they take a unique approach to each case, I have found that an unmatched work ethic will often serve the client best in every case.  As in wrestling, a trial lawyer cannot be afraid to go one-on-one against the opponent, whether it is a veteran attorney or a stubborn witness.  I've been described countless times as a “bulldog,” and I take a lot of pride in having that reputation.  I believe these are parts of my job that cannot be taught, and I feel lucky to have gained these qualities through my background and experiences.

My Approach

I focus my practice on trial work and litigation.  My greatest joys come from winning or otherwise getting good results for my clients.  I hate losing, but I know clients hate it more.  There is nothing better than being able to deliver good news to a client, and letting them know their investment of time and money has paid off.

I take a commonsense approach to my cases, and seek to move the ball forward and advance the client's interest at every stage.  One of my goals is to eliminate or limit the inefficiencies inherent in litigation in order to serve each client.  When a case cannot be resolved, I have the experience and skills necessary to take a case to trial and win.  I regularly practice before state and federal courts as well as administrative agencies, and have significant jury trial experience.  I have obtained successful results for clients in a wide variety of cases, including employment law, agribusiness, corporate law, personal injury, and municipal law.

More About Me

I spent seven years at the University of Iowa for undergrad and law school.  I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with distinction, in 2011.  I graduated from law school in 2014, also with distinction.  I am a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest academic honor society in the United States.  I have been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers® in the area of Litigation/Business and was selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers® - Ones to Watch in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Labor & Employment Law - Employees, and Litigation - Labor and Employment.

I reside in West Des Moines, Iowa, with my wife and two dogs, and enjoy staying active whenever I can.  I am a diehard fan of the Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Iowa Wrestling.

My Specialties

• Trial Law and Litigation
• Employment Litigation
• Administrative Law