James H. Richardson , a founding partner in  Richardson Callahan LLP, was born in Birmingham, Alabama on August 21, 1954.  Mr. Richardson received his undergraduate education at Davidson College (B.A. 1975) and his law degree from the University of Alabama School of  Law (J.D. 1978), where he was a Hugo Black Scholar, a member of the Order of the Coif, a member of the Board of Editors of the Journal of the Legal Profession (1976-1978) and author of "Unconscionable Litigation and the Attorney," 3 Journal of the Legal Profession 153 (1978).  Following graduation from law school, he served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable J. Foy Guin, Jr., United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama (1978-79).

Mr. Richardson was admitted to practice in the State of Alabama in 1978.  He has been admitted to practice in the U. S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Alabama, the U. S. Claims Court, the U. S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Eleventh and Federal Circuits, and to the U. S. Supreme Court.

Mr. Richardson was appointed Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alabama in 1987.  He is a member of the Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association,  the Alabama State Bar, of which he is a member of the Litigation and Employment Law Sections and the Task Force on Pro Hac Vice Admissions, and the American Bar Association, of which he is a member of the Forum on Franchising and the Litigation Section.  He holds memberships in  The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, the Defense Research Institute, and the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. 

Mr. Richardson's practice has primarily focused on civil litigation, representing plaintiffs and defendants, individuals and businesses and  individuals, both domestic and foreign, in such matters as business and commercial disputes, antitrust, trade secrets, fraud and misrepresentation, international tort and contract claims.  He has defended  product liability claims involving a host of consumer and industrial products.  He has handled a wide variety of insurance-related matters, representing insurance companies, policy holders and claimants in coverage disputes, bad faith claims, fire and arson cases, and liability claims of all types, from personal injury and wrongful death to directors and officers liability to environmental claims.  He has defended numerous medical and legal malpractice and professional liability cases.  Mr. Richardson has litigated various  employment-related matters, including labor and equal employment disputes, civil rights actions and employee benefits and ERISA claims.  He has been active in the area of worker's compensation and wrongful discharge claims, and has frequently lectured on the defense of such cases. 

Franchising has been a focal point of Mr. Richardson's practice, representing  both  franchisors and franchisees of various sizes.  He has counseled  franchisors and franchisees in many stages of the franchise relationship, including the preparation and analysis of offering circulars and  franchise agreements, related disclosure and registration issues, and organizational and territorial questions.  He has been involved in litigation and alternative dispute resolution for franchisors and franchisees, on a host of issues pertinent to the franchise  industry, from enforcement matters such as compliance and audit problems to territorial encroachment and advertising fund disputes.

Mr. Richardson also provides routine business and employment advice and has been called upon to negotiate and draft documentation to support complex transactions, such as contracts and conveyances involved in mergers and acquisitions. 

Mr. Richardson is trained as a Mediator and has had extensive experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution.  Mr. Richardson has served as a Mediator in the Alabama Circuit Courts and serves on the Panel of Neutrals for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.  He is registered as a Mediator by the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution.

Mr. Richardson's reported cases include:  Glenn v. General Motors Corp. , 658 F. Supp. 918 (N.D. Ala. 1986), 841 F.2d 1567 (11th Cir. 1988), cert. denied 488 U.S. 948 (1988); Johnson v. BMW of North America, Inc. , 583 So.2d 1333 (Ala. 1991); and Faulkner v. Univ. of Tenn. , 627 So.2d 362 (Ala. 1992).

Mr. Richardson's E-mail address:  jhr@rcfllp.com.