James is a partner in the law firm of Gallagher, Gams, Tallan, Barnes & Littrell, L.L.P. where he practices in the areas of bodily injury litigation, products liability, wrongful death, bad faith, policy coverage issues with a special emphasis on uninsured motorist coverage, and general insurance defense. He is a frequent lecturer on these subjects. Mr. Gallagher was born in Ironton, Ohio, in 1956. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1981; the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in 1982; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in 1984; the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in 1987; and, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1994. He is AV peer rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Areas of Practice
- Appellate Practice
- Bad Faith Punitive Damages
- Civil Litigation
- Closed Head Injuries / Traumatic Brain Injury Claims
- Fire and Casualty Law
- Insurance Coverage
- Insurance Claims Management
- Insurance Defense
- Wrongful Death
- Automobile Accident / Personal Injury
- Business Litigation
- Contract Review / Interpretation and Contract Disputes
- Defamation Cases – Defense of Slander/Libel
- Negligence Law
- Professional Negligence / Professional Malpractice
- Personal Injury / Automobile Accidents
Other Info About James R. Gallagher
Representative Cases
- Roger v. Kazee, 10 Ohio App. 3d 139 (1983)
- Muirfield v. State Farm Ins. Co., 22 Ohio St.3d 54 (1986)
- Dorrow v. Kendrick, 30 Ohio Misc. 2d 40 (1987)
- Dues v. Hodge, 36 Ohio St.3d 46 (1988)
- Burwell v. American Edwards Lab., 62 Ohio App.3d 73 (1989)
- Cincinnati Ins. Co. vs. Phillips, 44 Ohio St.3d 163 (1989)
- Tomlinson v. Skolnik, 44 Ohio St. 3d 11 (1989)
- Cincinnati Ins. Co., v. Phillips (Rehearing), 52 Ohio St.3d 162 (1990)
- State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. McCauley, 921 F.2d 673 (Sixth Circuit 1990)
- Ross v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 63 Ohio St.3d 33 (1992)
- West American Ins. Co. v. Dutt, 70 Ohio App.3d 422 (1992)
- Wright vs. State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co., 62 Ohio St.3d 408 (1992)
- Yearling v. State Farm Ins. Co., 76 Ohio App. 3d 559 (1992)
- Garlikov v. Continental Casualty Co., 68 Ohio St. 3d 91 (1993)
- Braden v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 92 Ohio App.3d 777 (1994)
- Hillman vs. Hastings Mut. Ins. Co., 69 Ohio St.3d 1203 (1994)
- Newman v. United Ohio Ins. Co., 68 Ohio St.3d 170 (1994)
- State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Reinhart, 71 Ohio St.3d 654 (1995)
- Campbell v. Daimler Group, 115 Ohio App. 3d 783 (1996)
- Owens v. State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co., 112 Ohio App. 3d 200 (1996)
- State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Reinhart, 114 Ohio App.3d 625 (1996)
- Stover v. State Farm Ins. Co., 127 Ohio App.3d 590 (1998)
- Balatgek v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 82 Ohio St.3d 384 (1998)
- Alrjub v. Wheeler, 88 Ohio St.3d 544 (2000)
- Holcomb v. State Farm Ins. Cos., 88 Ohio St.3d 537 (2000)
- Justice v. State Farm Ins. Co., 145 Ohio App.3d 359 (2000)
- Karr v. Borchardt, 88 Ohio St.3d 535 (2000)
- Littrell v. Wigglesworth, 88 Ohio St.3d 535 (2000)
- Meece v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 88 Ohio St.3d 547 (2000)
- Moroney v. Annis, 88 Ohio St.3d 506 (2000)
- Stephenson v. Grange Mut. Cas. Co., 88 Ohio St.3d 1241 (2000)
- Rogers v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 88 Ohio St.3d 546 (2000)
- Davidson v. Motorists Mut. Ins. Co., 91 Ohio St.3d 262 (2001)
- Davis v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 92 Ohio St.3d 212 (2001)
- Steinbach v. State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co., 92 Ohio St.3d 210 (2001)
- Bobb Forest Products, Inc. v. Morbark Industries Inc., 151 Ohio App. 3d 63 (2002)
- Fulmer v. Insura Prop. & Cas. Co., 94 Ohio St.3d 85 (2002)
- Kemper v. Michigan Millers Mut. Ins. Co., 98 Ohio St.3d 162 (2002)
- Roeder v. Grange Mut. Cas. Co., 98 Ohio St. 3d 389 (2003)
- Advent v. Allstate Ins. Co., 118 Ohio St. 3d 248 (2008)
- Wohl v. Swinney, 118 Ohio St.3d 277 (2008)
- Feazel v. Mills, 123 Ohio St.3d 240 (2009)
- Neal-Pettit v. Lahman, 125 Ohio St.3d 327 (2010)
- Shenyey v. Glasgow, 124 Ohio St.3d 237 (2010)
Classes/Seminars
- Recent Developments in Uninsured Motorist Coverage, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Fall Meeting 1991, October 5, 1991
- Recent Developments in Ohio Uninsured Motorist Coverage, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Fall Meeting 1992, October 9, 1992
- Recent Developments in Insurance Law, Lorman Business Center, Inc., October 13, 1992
- What You Should Know But Are Afraid To Ask About The Liability Of Insurance Agents And Brokers, October 9, 1993
- Ohio Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Issues, Professional Education Systems, Inc. (PESI), October 14, 1993
- Ohio Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Issues, Professional Education Systems, Inc. (PESI), October 15, 1993
- Ohio UM/UDM Workshop, Pitfalls and Common Mistakes in UM/UDM Cases: Struggling with the Implications of Savoie, Professional Education Systems, Inc. (PESI), July 14, 1994
- Ohio UM/UDM Workshop, Pitfalls and Common Mistakes in UM/UDM Cases: Struggling with the Implications of Savoie, Professional Education Systems, Inc. (PESI), July 15, 1994
- Counseling Clients on Business Insurance Needs: Property, Casualty, and Liability Insurance, Ohio CLE Institute, May 5, 1995
- Coverage Issues – Box Squares and Highlights, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Fall Meeting 1995, September 22, 1995
- Ohio UM/UDM Workshop, Pitfalls and Common Mistakes in UM/UDM Cases, Professional Education Systems, Inc. (PESI), September 28, 1995
- Ohio UM/UDM Workshop, Pitfalls and Common Mistakes in UM/UDM Cases, Professional Education Systems, Inc. (PESI), September 29, 1995
- Ohio Insurance Law, Application of Savoie and Amended S.B. 20, Defendant’s Perspective Ohio CLE Institute, December 6, 1996
- Ohio Insurance Law, Application of Savoie and Amended S.B. 20, Defendant’s Perspective Ohio CLE Institute, December 12, 1996
- UM/UDM Update, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Spring Meeting, 1997
- Insurance Law Update, Ohio CLE Institute, April 3, 1998
- UM Update and Panel Discussion Regarding Bad Faith Litigation, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Spring Meeting, April 24, 1998
- Insurance Law Update, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Spring Meeting, April 28, 2000
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law in Ohio, National Business Institute, November 8, 2000
- Insurance Law Update – Case Law Summary, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Spring Meeting, April 23, 2001
- Insurance Law in Ohio, Lorman Education Services, January 25, 2002
- Practice Strategies to Prevent Malpractice,, Ohio State Bar Association, Annual Convention, May 16, 2002
- UM/UIM Coverage – The Ohio Supreme Court Rulings. The Impact of the Scott-Pontzer and Linko cases, Insurance Institute of Indiana, 2002 Defense Seminar, June 6, 2002
- UM -“Scott-Pontzer” Update, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Summer Meeting, June 21, 2002
- It Ain’t Over Until the Court Sings, an Update on Recent Developments in UM/UIM Law, Insurance Coverage Symposium and Seminar, April 4, 2003
- Insurance Coverage/UM Update, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Winter Meeting, 2004
- Take a Walk: New Immunities, Defenses & Other Tort Reform Leftovers, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Tort Reform Symposium, 2005
- Insurance/Negligence Law Update, Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA), May 4, 2006
- Trials and Developments in UM/UIM Law, OACTA, December 7, 2007
- Perspectives on How to Run a State Defense Organization, DRI Regional Meeting, April 26, 2008
- Tort Reform and The Run Away Verdict, Columbus CPCU Assn., May 13, 2008
- Masters in Trial Seminar, A Trial Demonstration from Opening Statement to Jury Deliberations, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), September 5, 2008
- So You Won (or Lost), What Next? Appellate Seminar, NALS of Ohio, November 1, 2008
- When You Need A Friend, OACTA is There: Panel Discussion of 2009 OACTA Amicus Curiae Program and Review of Recent Supreme Court of Ohio Decisions and Pending Cases, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), 2009
- Effective Opening Statements, Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), Trial Tactics Seminar, 2009
- Masters in Trial Seminar, Crafting and Delivering a Powerful Opening Statement, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), 2010
- Developments in Insurance Law, Ohio State Bar Association Annual Convention, 2010
- Insurance Case Law Update, CPCU Society, Ohio Chapter, 2011
Honors and Awards
- 2012 Selected to Super Lawyers. Only 5% of the lawyers in the State of Ohio are selected based upon peer recognition and professional achievement
- 2008 OACTA Distinguished Service Award, for Supreme Court Amicus Brief in Advent v. Allstate Ins. Co.
- 2007 OACTA Public Service Award, for contributions related to enactment of SB 117
- 2005 OACTA President’s Award
- 1999 OACTA Frank S. Hurd Member of the Year
- 1999 Columbus Association of Legal Secretaries, Boss of the Year
- Earned Martindale-Hubbell “A-V” peer review designation. (Legal ability “Preeminent” and general ethical reputation “Very High”)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), Member
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), President, 2005
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), Treasurer, 2002
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), Secretary, 2003
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), Vice President, 2004
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), Chair, Insurance Coverage Committee, 1995 – 2003
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys (OACTA), Member, Board of Directors, 1997 – 2006
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Member
- Ohio Chapter of ABOTA, President, 2012 – 2013
- Ohio Chapter of ABOTA, Secretary, 2011
- Ohio Chapter of ABOTA, President-Elect, 2012
- OACTA, Defense Research Institute (DRI), Member
- Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations, Member
- International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), Former Member
Pro Bono Activities
- St. Andrew Church, Knights of Columbus, 1990 – Present
- Light The Night, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Annual Fundraiser, 2009 – Present