James M. Fraser is an associate in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP and is based in the Firm’s Boston office. His practice is focused on complex business disputes, white collar criminal defense, and internal compliance investigations.
James has experience in a wide range of complex business disputes and has represented clients in both federal and state courts, including defense of a leading biotechnology company in connection with a government investigation, prosecution of multimillion dollar fraud claims against a technology leasing company, and defense of a major law firm in a legal malpractice action.
As part of his white collar practice, James has experience with the False Claims Act (FCA), the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). James has experience conducting large-scale internal compliance investigations and responding to government subpoenas. As part of his healthcare litigation and healthcare defense practice, James has done extensive research and discovery related to FDA compliance and regulatory requirements for pharmaceuticals and biologics.
James has significant experience in all aspects of e-discovery, including preservation of documents, outsourcing, project management, and cost controls. By understanding the legal, technical, and logistical challenges of this developing area of law, James is able to skillfully manage e-discovery in large-scale litigation matters.
In addition to representing corporate and white collar clients, James represents pro bono clients in civil and criminal matters. James was recently lead trial counsel in a contract dispute resulting in a favorable verdict and significant savings for his client.
Prior to joining McDermott, James served as a judicial clerk for The Honorable Francis X. Flaherty, the Rhode Island Supreme Court. He also worked as a law clerk for a major Boston law firm, focusing on insurance defense and commercial litigation. While in law school, James was editor-in-chief of the Suffolk University Law Review and served as a judicial intern for The Honorable Patti B. Saris, U.S. Court for the District of Massachusetts.
James is the author of “Opt-In Class Actions Under the FLSA, EPA, and ADEA: What Does it Mean to be Similarly Situated?” Suffolk Law Review, Volume 38 (2004), which won the 2005 Massachusetts Defense Lawyers’ Essay Competition.
James is a member of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Bar Associations, and the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association. James is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and before the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Education
- Suffolk University Law School, J.D. (magna cum laude), 2005
- Florida International University, B.S., 1998
