James V. Etscorn
Jim Etscorn is the Managing Partner of Baker Hostetler’s Orlando office. He is also the Chair of the firm’s national Product Liability and Toxic Tort Practice.
Jim is a trial lawyer who represents clients in complex commercial litigation, product liability actions (involving automotive, construction, swimming pool and consumer products), complex healthcare litigation, real estate litigation, class actions and intellectual property litigation in federal and state courts. Jim has tried cases involving contract disputes, products defects and chemical exposures, healthcare issues and business torts in Florida and throughout the country. Jim has extensive experience in the swimming pool industry and has handled cases involving traumatic pool accidents throughout the United States.
Areas of Concentration
- Complex commercial litigation
- Products liability/toxic tort defense/warnings design
- Intellectual property litigation
- Real estate litigation
- Business torts
- Complex healthcare litigation/physician privileges disputes
Significant Representations
- Jury verdict for client in large, multi-patent/breach of contract case.
- Successful representation and favorable settlement for physicians group against major hospital for breach of contract and wrongful termination of physicians’ privileges.
- Successful defense of theme park in complex copyright action in federal court resulting in summary judgment for client.
- Successful dismissal of copyright and trade secret case filed in federal court against food processing client.
- Successful defense/defense verdicts for clients in numerous swimming pool accident cases.
- Summary judgment in copyright action for restaurant group.
- Directed verdict for client in a high profile case regarding an attempted imposition of a constructive trust as to real property.
- Defense verdict for client in a large claim involving wrongful termination of an IT firm.
- Successful defense of numerous toxic tort cases involving chemical exposures.
- Successful defense of theme park in case alleging food contamination/salmonella of large group.
- Arbitration award for client in securities matter.
- Verdict for plaintiff in negligent design/construction case.
- Defense verdict for client in product liability/fire case filed in Broward County, Florida.
- Verdict for client in construction defect case in Orange County, Florida.
- Successful defense of real estate litigation with defense verdict for client.
- Representation of numerous physicians resulting in the granting of hospital privileges.
Professional and Community Involvement
- Member, The Florida Bar
- Member, The Federal Bar Association (Past President)
- Member, The American Bar Association
- Member, Fifth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission (Appointed by Governor Crist in 2008)
- Vice-Chair (2009 - present)
- Member, Orange County Compact (High School Mentoring) (Past Chair, Board of Directors)
Awards and Recognition
- Florida Trend magazine’s “Legal Elite” (2005-2009)
- Named a Florida “Super Lawyer” (2007-2009)
- Named a “Best Lawyer” by Orlando Magazine (2010)