Jim Wetwiska is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on product liability and complex business and commercial litigation, including business torts, contract disputes and intellectual property. Mr. Wetwiska has extensive experience litigating in federal and state courts and before arbitration panels for both plaintiffs and defendants. He has tried numerous cases to jury verdict and has handled cases throughout the state of Texas and many other jurisdictions, and Mr. Wetwiska routinely represents oil, oil service, petrochemical, heavy equipment, automotive, logistics and waste management companies in a wide array of matters.
Within the area of commercial litigation, Mr. Wetwiska has represented clients in matters involving business torts, venture agreements, breach of contract, breach of sale agreements, intellectual property disputes and software licensing and implementation. He has defended numerous class action matters. In addition, he has handled arbitrations throughout the world, such as disputes arising in Australia, South Korea, South America and West Africa. He has litigated substantial oil and gas matters arising out of transactions in Europe, the United States and West Africa. He is also experienced in intellectual property litigation within the chemical, oil and oil services industries.
Within the area of product liability, Mr. Wetwiska has represented numerous entities in automotive, trucking, heavy equipment and industrial-related accidents, including those involving personal injury, death and property damage. He has considerable experience in mass tort litigation and has represented numerous facilities along the Gulf Coast against occupational exposure claims. He also has vast experience in pursuing and defending against Daubert motions to exclude expert witness testimony in federal and state courts.
His recent representations include—
- trial in Brazoria County, Texas defending Fortune 100 client in an alleged $100 million breach of contract and fraud claim
- AAA arbitration defending major oil service company in a $50 million contractual dispute
- defense of a major oil service company in an action arising from an alleged $200 million tortious interference/breach of contract claim involving Nigerian oil concessions
- I.C.C. arbitration defending Fortune 500 international transportation service company in a dispute involving foreign investments
- representation of client in fraud claim against major software development company
- representation of logistics company against government contractor to recover for services provided in Iraq rebuilding effort
- defense of manufacturers against wrongful death claims related to trucking accidents
- representation of oil service company in wrongful death claim arising from incident in Africa.
Prior to joining Akin Gump, Mr. Wetwiska was a partner in the Houston office of another large international law firm. Mr. Wetwiska received his B.A. with distinction in 1989 and his J.D. in 1992 from the University of Oklahoma, where he was a member of the Oklahoma Law Review and the Order of the Coif.
He is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
Mr. Wetwiska was named in a survey of his peers as a “Super Lawyer” in 2007 and 2008 and a “Rising Star” in 2004, 2005 and 2006. He was voted one of “The Best Lawyers Under 40 in Houston” (H Magazine, June 2004).