Preceding his retirement in 2020, James B. Wright was a Shareholder in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group and a co-founder of Buchalter’s San Francisco office, of which he is a former Managing Partner. He has also been a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and is a former General Counsel of the firm.

Mr. Wright’s practice has emphasized commercial, general business, real estate and financial institutions litigation involving bench and jury trials. He has extensive litigation and trial experience in both jury and non-jury matters based upon 46 years practicing law in all of the state and federal courts in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has engaged in extensive alternate dispute resolution proceedings, including binding arbitration and mediation, in which he has used creative negotiating and trial skills to bring successful resolution to his clients’ matters.

Complex Business Litigation Jury Trials

• January – February 2019 – Golden Gateway Center, L.P. v. San Francisco Waterfront Partners II, LLC, San Francisco Superior Court. Seven-week jury trial defending fraud and rescission claims in a complex real estate option purchase transaction. Waterfront’s cross complaint sought $90+ million in fraud damages against client, Gateway. After one day of deliberations, the jury rendered a verdict for Gateway on fraud and rescission claims. The trial court thereafter directed a verdict for Gateway on Waterfront’s remaining claims and awarded Gateway $9.2 million in prevailing party fees and costs.
• 2007 – Rodriguez v. Ameriquest Mortgage Company, Pima County Superior Court, Arizona. Two-week jury trial seeking $20 million against mortgage lender for alleged fraud. Jury verdict limited to fraction of damages sought, followed by a settlement for substantially less than verdict amount and settlement of a dozen other borrower claims.
• 1991 – Sosnowski v. Bellevue Corporation, Sonoma County Superior Court. Three-month jury trial involving multi-million dollar fraud and conspiracy claims against lender clients. Nonsuit for clients after jury verdict. Judgment for clients unanimously affirmed on appeal.

Published Decisions

• California Corporate Center Acquisition, LLC, vs. KCM Investment Advisors, LLC, 2017 Cal. Super. LEXIS 1294 (2017)
• Hisamatsu v. Niroula and Bank of Hawaii, 407 Fed. Appx. 109 (9th Cir. 2010) [2010 BL 304504]
• Grafton Partners v. Superior Court, 36 Cal.4th 944 (2005)
• First State Ins. Co. v. Callan Associates, Inc., 914 F.Supp. 369 (N.D. Cal. 1996)
• Ford Motor Co. v. Superior Court, 35 Cal.App.4th 997 (1995)

Mr. Wright has been recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer since 2011, is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale Hubbell, and was selected as a Top Rated Lawyer in the areas of Bank & Finance and Commercial Litigation by American Lawyer Media.

Bar Admissions

• California

Education

• University of San Francisco School of Law
• University of California, Santa Barbara

• California Supreme Court Eliminates Lender Defense to Borrower Fraud Claims