James T. Barnish

Jim is a partner in the Vorys Houston office and a member of the litigation group.  His practice is focused on litigation in the construction, transportation, utility and oil & gas industries.  He regularly represents general contractors and subcontractors in disputes over performance and payment, and advises construction clients about their indemnity and insurance coverage obligations.  Jim has represented employers in disputes involving non-competition agreements, non-solicit agreements, theft of trade secrets/confidential information, discrimination claims and class actions.  Jim also has experience in complex commercial cases involving contract disputes and tort claims. 

Career highlights include:

• Successfully represented a general contractor who was underpaid by over $15 million dollars on a turnaround project
• Successfully represented subcontractor who was not paid over $2 million dollars on an oil and gas project after general contractor went bankrupt
• Successfully defended electrical transmission line contractor in a mass tort action involving over two billion dollars in damage claims
• Successfully recovered employer’s stolen confidential information from two former employees
• Successfully defended nationwide construction services company in dispute with subcontractor over an alleged breach of a lump sum construction contract
• Obtained summary judgment and defeating class certification for employer on claims that its hiring practices violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act
• Defended international oil and gas exploration and production company against claims of breach of operating agreements and leases stemming from an environmental legacy litigation lawsuit
• Obtained summary judgments for employers accused of age, race, and sex discrimination and retaliation
• Resolved numerous pre-lawsuit disputes for a nationwide logistics and freight management company involving shipping, payment, vendor, and lease disputes

Jim received his J.D. summa cum laude from South Texas College of Law, where he was active in the Advocacy Program and a member of the South Texas Law Review.  He received his B.A. from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Litigation – Construction, 2023-2025

Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2020

Professional & Community Activities

Houston Bar Association, Construction Section

State Bar of Texas, Member