James B. Greer

5910 N. Central Expressway, Ste. 925

Dallas, Texas 75206

Tel. (214) 628-9966

James represents a wide variety of businesses, financial institutions, and entrepreneurs in complex commercial disputes and class action litigation, throughout the United States. James has significant experience in prosecuting and defending cases involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation of trade secrets, and property damage.

With experience ranging from first-chair trial work through directing class actions and multidistrict litigation, James’ creative problem-solving and tireless advocacy delivers results for clients in three core practice areas:

Banking and Financial Services

Representation of banks, and bank holding companies, in litigation involving:

Alleged abusive overdraft practices,
Alleged systemic mortgage serving abuses,
Alleged systemic violations of consumer protection and debt collection laws,
Breach of trust and fiduciary claims,
Forged endorsement and check fraud claims, and
Claims involving funds stolen or misappropriated by wire transfer.

Business Litigation/Commercial Disputes

Partnership, joint venture, and limited liability company disputes involving fiduciary, accounting, and misappropriation of trade secret and business opportunities claims.
Disputes involving offshore investment vehicles,
Aircraft maintenance and warranty disputes, and
Warranty disputes involving industrial equipment and commercial building products.

Oil and Gas

Allegations of securities fraud arising from oil and gas investments,
Disputes among working-interest owners and operators regarding development and operations, including the defense of actions seeking appointment of receiver operator, and
Royalty disputes premised on allegations of improper development and/or calculation of royalty interests.

Recent Victories

Obtained summary judgment dismissing multi-million dollar fraudulent transfer claims brought against initial equity investors arising from $160 million recapitalization of healthcare company with distributions of $131 million to equity holders. The litigation involved complex and intersecting bankruptcy and state fraudulent transfer law claims, with the summary judgment ruling premised on limitations grounds and determinations that the fraudulent transfer claims were preempted by federal bankruptcy law under 11 U.S.C. § 546(e)’s safe harbor.
Obtained dismissal of preemptive declaratory judgment action on behalf of national bank in Northern District of Texas seeking to invalidate 7.8 million-dollar aircraft loan―Dismissal affirmed by Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals after oral argument.
Obtained complete summary judgment on behalf of national bank in Texas state court on Texas UCC (§ 3.420) conversion and breach of contract claims premised on accountholder failure to provide written notice of account statement error within 30 days of receipt of statement which included error as required by deposit agreement― Dismissal affirmed by Fifth Court of Appeals after oral argument.
Defeated hostile takeover of Dallas brewpub for award winning brewmaster client by obtaining injunctive relief preventing client’s removal from management; pursuing claims for unauthorized transfers, mismanagement, and self-dealing; enforcing LLC operating agreement provisions; and defeating frivolous Texas Citizens Participation Act motion to dismiss
Successful representation of global railcar manufacturer in dispute regarding acquisition of 110 railroad tank cars fabricated to buyer specifications at a cost of $16.2 million requiring navigation of complex and intersecting condition precedent provisions across multiple term sheets, and lease agreements, involving the prosecution of fraud, fraudulent inducement, contract and quasi-contract claims against the buyer and its chief executive.
Successful representation of private equity sponsor in dispute involving $75 million in commissions and fees allegedly owed purported placement agent/capital introducer related to four Texas multi-family real estate offerings.

Representative Experience

Banking and Finance Industry

Represented major U.S. financial institution in prominent class action involving the assessment of bank overdraft fees pending – on MDL transfer – in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. James’ involvement in this representation included the examination of each named plaintiff and the pivotal plaintiff expert at deposition.
Represented major U.S. financial institution in complex multimillion-dollar forged endorsement check fraud scheme.
Successful defense of class certification in financial services case (Finley v. Washington Mut. Bank, F.A., 2008 WL 2008850) (E.D.Tex. May 08, 2008) (“… the Court agrees with Defendant that Plaintiff has failed to show how individual issues will not overwhelm this case… Moreover, Defendant has submitted a detailed and comprehensive predominance analysis to show the many individualized issues implicated by Plaintiff’s claims.”).
Successful defense of national bank in Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) litigation involving allegations of false credit reporting related to a consumer loan account that plaintiff claimed resulted from identity theft.
Defense of national bank against business accountholder claims arising from allegedly unauthorized wire transfers initiated through online banking portal on preemption grounds under Reg J and UCC Article 4A, including coordinated forensic investigation confirming customer’s provision of account security credentials to third-parties.
Successful representation of national bank as Trustee pursuing recovery for trust property damage caused by negligently conducted prescribed burn that escaped containment from adjacent property, obtaining damages for destruction of forestry resources, wildlife habitat, and pasture areas requiring extensive remediation.

Business and Commercial Litigation

Successfully defend, as lead local counsel, national data aggregator against breach of contract and related claims brought by downstream data broker relating to data purchase agreements. The litigation involved client’s defense from breach of contract claims premised on an alleged agreement manifest by an amalgam of predecessor prior agreements, overlapping amendments and alleged oral terms, not cogently framing basic terms to memorializing the parties’ mutual assent.
Obtained voluntary dismissal of multimillion-dollar strict products liability and breach of warranty claims in District of Nevada premised on faulty and provably false allegation that client assumed liabilities of predecessor manufacturing company incident to a corporate transaction.
Obtained denial of critical Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings in Western District of Texas which sought global dismissal of client’s extra-contractual claims in 4.4 million-dollar insurance dispute involving extensive damage to commercial property.

Oil and Gas Litigation

Obtained significant favorable settlement for clients in oil and gas investment fraud dispute involving complex “bait and switch” scheme with recurrent changes in title ownership of the subject mineral interests.
Successful defense of working interest owners in putative class action brought by royalty interest owners alleging failure to reasonably develop mineral acreage in the Rosewood Cotton Valley formation of Upshur County, Texas.
Successful defense of independent oil and gas operator/primary working interest owner in dispute with non-operator working interest owners seeking appointment of receiver operator for 40 oil and gas wells in the Permian Basin.

Awards & Recognition

Selected Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2024-2026
Selected D Magazine “Best Lawyers in Dallas” — Business Litigation, 2025, 2023, 2018, 2013
Selected Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Super Lawyers magazine — recognizing the top 5% of lawyers in the State of Texas, 2014-2025
Selected Texas Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyersmagazine — recognizing the top 2.5% of lawyers under 40 in the State of Texas, 2005, 2008-2013
Master, William ‘Mac’ Taylor American Inn of Court, 2014-present

Noteworthy Experience

Law clerk to the Hon. Joe J. Fisher, United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas.

Publications

Co-authored The Subprime Morass: Past, Present and Future, 12 N.C. Banking Inst. 125 (March 2008).

Affiliations & Involvement

Texas Association of Bank Counsel (2016-present)
Dallas Bar Association
DBA Entertainment Committee, Chair 2018, Co-Chair 2017
DBA Media Relations Committee, 2004–2007
Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
DAYL Judiciary Committee, Co-Chair 2003–2005
DAYL Leadership Class 2001
DAYL Freedom Run Co-Founder & Committee Member, 2001–2005
Member, Fifth Circuit Bar Association
Dallas Baylor Law Network, Steering Committee (2012-present)

Admissions

State Bar of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas

Education

J.D., Baylor University School of Law
Member: Order of the Barristers; Harvey M. Richie Moot Court Society
B.A., Millsaps College, magna cum laude