Jim Ulwick is recognized as one of Maryland's most highly-skilled trial attorneys. His wide-ranging practice includes criminal and civil litigation of many kinds. Jim has successfully tried cases throughout the country. His trial victories include high-stakes cases involving claims of legal malpractice; criminal misconduct by bank officers; breaches of complicated contracts, employment agreements, and land deals; serious personal injuries; RICO violations; securities violations; medical malpractice; and injuries from toxic torts, to name only a few. Jim has a national reputation for handling significant class-action cases in diverse industries on both the defense and class sides.
Jim spent six years as an Assistant United States Attorney – three in the District of New Jersey and three in the District of Maryland. During his years as a federal prosecutor, Jim tried numerous cases, including the prosecutions of defendants charged with labor racketeering, political corruption, and other violations of federal criminal law. Jim also served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Edward S. Northrop of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
According to the legal ranking guide Chambers USA, Jim is "a tenacious courtroom advocate and very strategic thinker, and among the most accomplished civil and criminal orators and trial attorneys."
Attracts praise for his expert handling of large-scale class actions for both defense and class-side clients, while also drawing on significant experience in white-collar criminal defense proceedings. An outstanding litigator, a fantastic trial lawyer.
- CHAMBERS USA
Recipient, Peter A. DiRito Award, Federal Bar Association, Maryland Chapter, 2023
Acceptor, John Adams Award, on behalf of the Criminal Justice Act Panel, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, 2019
Selected for Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, since inaugural edition 2022
Selected for inclusion in The American Lawyer, Southern Trailblazer 2021
Recognized in Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial; Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, Maryland, since 2006
Recognized in Benchmark Litigation, "Local Litigation Star," Commercial Litigation and Health Care Litigation, since 2011
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation, since 1993; named Baltimore "Lawyer of the Year" for Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2019; Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2016; Commercial Litigation, 2016; White-Collar Criminal Defense, 2011
AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- United States District Court for the District of Maryland
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- United States Tax Court
- United States Court of Federal Claims
- Supreme Court of the United States
Honorable Edward S. Northrop, United States District Court for the District of Maryland
American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
Bar Association of Baltimore City
District of Columbia Bar Association
Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference, Permanent Member
Maryland State Bar Association
Co-presenter, "One Day Boot Camp Trial Training," Legal Services Advocates Trial Skills Program, American College of Trial Lawyers, ABA Litigation Section, MSBA Litigation Section, FBA - Maryland Chapter, and Maryland Legal Aid, 2017
Representative Matters
Represented plaintiffs in a nationwide class action product defects lawsuit against Viking Group, Inc. in a suit alleging a defect in the Viking VK457 sprinkler system. The suit settled on favorable terms for the class. The case is Jackson, et al. v. Viking Group, Inc., et al., No. 8:18-cv-02356-PJM (D. Md.).
Served as defense counsel in a bilateral class action in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County involving violations of the Maryland Towing Act and related claims. After a successful mediation in 2017, a settlement resolving a substantial number of the claims at issue was approved by the Court. In 2018 and 2019, motions for summary judgment were briefed and the parties engaged in a second mediation. Ultimately the class requested, and the court approved, a significantly reduced settlement demand to individual class members.
Represented shareholders of a now-defunct medical software company against certain directors and officers to recoup the shareholders' significant investments. In addition to the complaint filed on behalf of the investor group, also represented the bankruptcy trustee of the company as the plaintiff in a related case. In the parallel lawsuits in D.C. Superior Court, the Kramon & Graham team withstood a personal jurisdiction challenge and conducted national discovery, and obtained a settlement that was ultimately approved by the Bankruptcy Court.
In a major victory for a law firm client, prevailed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in challenging the appropriateness of a “filter team” of the U.S. Attorney's Office to review files and emails confiscated from the client's office. The Fourth Circuit agreed, summarily reversing the District Court only two days after argument and granting all relief requested by the client. The case is In re: Search Warrant Issued June 13, 2019. Click here for the published opinion.
Prevailed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on behalf of noted anti-trust attorney Joseph Saveri and his firm - the Joseph Saveri Law Firm - in a legal dispute stemming from a price fixing case that settled in 2013 for $163.5 million. The case was on appeal following Kramon & Graham's success in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland where the firm persuaded the Court to reject a claim by the Florida law firm Criden & Love that the Saveri firm owed a referral fee to Criden for referring a plaintiff in multidistrict litigation. The Court awarded Saveri $10 million in attorney's fees. Criden then claimed a referral fee. The Court agreed with Saveri that no fee was due under the circumstances. The Fourth Circuit upheld the lower Court's ruling in the Saveri firm's favor, rejecting Criden's bid for additional fees from the underlying case. It was a widely reported case, including 4th Circ. Hands Saveri Firm Win In $1.2M Legal Fees Battle (January 15, 2019).
Arguing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, served as local counsel and presented the damages case in Paice LLC v Hyundai Motor Co. Working with patent specialists Fish & Richardson, Kramon & Graham presented a compelling claim that Defendants Hyundai and Kia should pay between $200 and $250 per car for their infringement of the Plaintiffs' patents. After a full day of deliberations, the jury returned a $28.9 million verdict against the automakers, which equated to $200 per car.
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a summary judgment obtained by Jim Ulwick and Jean Lewis on behalf of a law firm sued for legal malpractice. The plaintiff alleged 13 separate acts of malpractice and sought $17 million in damages. Jim and Jean successfully moved to have the case withdrawn from the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and obtained summary judgment on all counts in the district court.
In a major victory for Kramon & Graham's client, the City of Baltimore, the Court of Appeals of Maryland upheld local governments' rights to make reasonable prospective changes to their pension plans. Kramon & Graham represented the City continuously since it reformed the public safety unions' pension plan in 2010. At that time, the City faced dire financial circumstances that threatened its ability to provide core services to its citizens, and all relevant actors agreed the pension plan was actuarially unsound. Among other things, the changes involved increased length of service and contribution requirements for active employees and a new, guaranteed Cost of Living Adjustment formula to provide raises for retirees that replaced a variable benefit formula that was endangering the plan's ability to provide basic benefits. The unions filed suit in 2010 in federal court to challenge the reforms. After a federal appellate court held in 2014 that the changes did not constitute impairments under the federal Constitution's Contract Clause, the public safety unions brought a state law breach of contract action in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. The circuit court determined that Maryland law permitted the City to make prospective changes for active members of the pension plan, and that these changes were reasonable; consequently, there was no breach of contract as to these members. The court also rejected the unions' experts' damages assumptions and instead accepted the damages model the City's expert developed, concluding that retirees and retirement-eligible plan members experienced approximately $30 million in damages from the change in plan. This amount was a small fraction of the damages the unions claimed, and the court ruled that many retirees and retirement-eligible members were not damaged by the changes but actually fared the same or better under the new tiered COLA than the variable benefit it replaced. The Court of Appeals affirmed the circuit court's determination in all respects. Click here for the Court of Appeals opinion in Robert F. Cherry et al. v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City.
Successfully defended a law firm and its management against claims by a former partner of fraud and breach of contract. The arbitrator found no fraud and awarded the claimant less than 10% of his claimed contractual damages.
Obtained an acquittal for a former Eastern Correctional Institution correctional officer criminally charged in a case involving the largest number of individuals ever indicted in a single criminal matter filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Following a three-week trial, successfully persuaded a jury to acquit the firm's client of racketeering, bribery, and narcotics distribution charges. In the indictment in which the firm's client was charged, federal prosecutors charged 41 people with bribery and smuggling-related crimes: 40 were convicted, the firm's client was acquitted.
Successfully defended allegations of securities fraud made by the former CEO of a public, technology company against the company's majority shareholders and members of its board and management. The United States District Court for the District of Maryland entered summary judgment for the defendants, and that ruling was affirmed on appeal. The case was important in light of the nature of the allegations and the relief sought -- approximately $50 million.
News
- 06/01/2023
Kramon & Graham, a leading law firm providing litigation, real estate, and transactional services, announced today that trial attorney James P. Ulwick was presented with the Peter A. DiRito Award by the Maryland Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
- 11/28/2022
Jim Ulwick is interviewed by the Daily Record for his successful challenge of the appropriateness of US attorney “filter team.”
- 10/11/2021
Kramon & Graham is pleased to announce that trial attorney James P. Ulwick has been selected for The American Lawyer's Southern Trailblazer issue.
- 09/29/2021
Kramon & Graham principal Jim Ulwick was quoted in a Law.com article about Michael Avenatti's wire fraud trial in California, which ended in a mistrial after the Department of Justice's privilege-review team released new financial data during trial that the judge said should have been released long ago.
- 09/29/2021
In a major victory for Kramon & Graham's client, the City of Baltimore, the Court of Appeals of Maryland upheld local governments' rights to make reasonable prospective changes to their pension plans.
- 02/17/2021
Kramon & Graham criminal defense attorney Jim Ulwick is a member of the defense team representing Michael and Peter Taylor who are alleged to have enabled the escape of former Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn out of Japan.
- 02/11/2021
Kramon & Graham represents plaintiffs in a nationwide class action lawsuit filed against Lenovo United States, Inc. The suit alleges that Lenovo brand 700-series 2-in-1 Yoga laptop/tablets manufactured after 2008 are equipped with a dual-hinge system that has an inherent defect that can ultimately render the device unusable.
- 06/17/2020
Kramon & Graham principal Jim Ulwick served as co-counsel to Kirkland & Ellis on behalf of Epic Games in Brantley et al. v. Epic Games Inc., an intellectual property lawsuit alleging invasion of privacy, unfair competition and unjust enrichment within the Copyright Act.
- 05/27/2020
Kramon & Graham is one of several law firms representing plaintiffs in a nationwide class action lawsuit filed in the District Court of Maryland against Lenovo United States, Inc.
- 01/13/2020
Kramon & Graham trial attorney James P. Ulwick and co-counsel Sauder Schelkopf represent plaintiffs in a nationwide class action product defects lawsuit against Viking Group, Inc., The Viking Corporation, and Supply Network, Inc., d/b/a Viking Supplynet.
- 12/23/2019
In From Spiro Agnew to Catherine Pugh, Baltimore's federal prosecutors have tradition of fighting corruption (November 22, 2019), the Baltimore Sun turned to Jim Ulwick for comment in its feature article on recent and historic prosecutions tried in the District of Maryland.
- 10/03/2019
Kramon & Graham prevails in Fourth Circuit in challenging appropriateness of filter team's review of confiscated files and emails
- 06/12/2019
Kramon & Graham announced today that criminal defense principal James P. Ulwick accepted the prestigious John Adams Award on behalf of 84 members of the Criminal Justice Act Panel.
- 01/14/2019
Kramon & Graham is one of several law firms that have teamed up to file the nation's largest class action complaint against Marriott International following a massive, long-running data breach at the company.
- 07/11/2018
Kramon & Graham criminal defense attorneys Jim Ulwick and Will Harrington obtained an acquittal for a former Eastern Correctional Institution correctional officer charged in a case involving the largest number of individuals ever indicted in a case filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
- 07/20/2017
Kramon & Graham criminal defense principal Jim Ulwick was quoted in USA TODAY about former fellow federal prosecutor Ty Cobb's recent appointment as White House special counsel: Ty Cobb, Donald Trump's newest Russia lawyer, adds legal muscle as investigations widen, published July 18, 2017.
- 06/06/2016
The National Law Journal's recently released “Top 100 Verdicts” (subscription) lists Paice LLC v Hyundai Motor Co. as a recipient of one of the nation's top jury awards in 2015.
- 10/05/2015
On October 1, 2015, a Baltimore jury returned a verdict in favor of Kramon & Graham clients Paice, LLC and The Abell Foundation in a lawsuit against automakers Hyundai and Kia for patent infringement.
- 07/15/2015
The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland recently affirmed the dismissal of a legal malpractice claim against one of the Firm's clients.
Events
- 10/09/2017
Litigation principals Jim Ulwick and Natalie McSherry are featured instructors at the Legal Services Advocates Trial Skills Program, "One Day Boot Camp Trial Training," presented by The American College of Trial Lawyers, ABA Litigation Section, MSBA Litigation Section, FBA - Maryland Chapter, and Maryland Legal Aid.
Recognition
Chambers USA has released the 2025 rankings of United States law firm practice groups and attorneys.
Today marks the annual release of Best Lawyers' The Best Lawyers in America 2025, a comprehensive peer-review survey.
Chambers USA has released the 2024 rankings of United States law firm practice groups and attorneys. Fourteen of our attorneys are recognized for legal excellence and client service.
Kramon & Graham announces the selection of five of our trial lawyers in the 2nd edition of Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America. Lawdragon is considered a leading guide in the legal industry, informed by independent research focused on recent cases and defense verdicts or settlements.
Kramon & Graham announced today that thirteen firm attorneys have been recognized for legal excellence and client service in the 2023 Chambers USA legal ranking guide.
Kramon & Graham announced today that five of its trial lawyers have been selected for recognition in the inaugural edition of Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America.
Kramon & Graham has earned top marks in the 2023 edition of Benchmark Litigation, a leading legal guide that provides an in-depth analysis of trial lawyers in the United States.
Kramon & Graham announced today that four firm attorneys were named Baltimore "Lawyer of the Year" in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.©
Kramon & Graham, a leading Maryland-based law firm providing litigation, real estate, and transactional services, announced today that thirteen firm attorneys have been recognized for legal excellence and client service in the 2022 Chambers USA legal ranking guide.
Kramon & Graham has earned top marks in the 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation, a leading legal guide that provides an in-depth analysis of trial lawyers in the United States.
Kramon & Graham announced today that three firm attorneys were named Baltimore "Lawyer of the Year" in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.©
Kramon & Graham announced today that thirteen firm attorneys have been recognized for legal excellence and client service in the 2021 Chambers USA legal ranking guide.
Kramon & Graham has earned top marks in the 2021 edition of Benchmark Litigation, a leading legal guide that provides an in-depth analysis of trial lawyers in the United States. Focused exclusively on the U.S. litigation market, Benchmark Litigation rankings are the result of extensive interviews with private practice lawyers and in-house counsel.
Kramon & Graham is pleased to announce that twenty-one attorneys have been selected to appear in the 27th edition of The Best Lawyers in America© directory, the oldest lawyer-rating publication in the U.S.
Kramon & Graham announced today that twelve firm attorneys have been recognized for legal excellence and client service in the 2020 Chambers USA legal ranking guide.
Kramon & Graham, a leading law firm providing litigation, real estate, and transactional services, has earned top marks in the 2020 edition of Benchmark Litigation, a leading legal guide that provides an in-depth analysis of commercial litigators in the United States.
Seventeen Kramon & Graham attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America legal ranking guide. In addition, firm principal Natalie McSherry has been named 2020 Baltimore Mediation "Lawyer of the Year."
Kramon & Graham announced today that ten firm attorneys are recognized for legal excellence and client service in the 2019 Chambers USA legal ranking guide. More than 40 percent of Kramon & Graham's principals are recognized in the directory.
Kramon & Graham, a leading law firm providing litigation, real estate, and transactional services, has earned top marks in the 2019 edition of Benchmark Litigation, the definitive guide to America's leading business litigation firms and attorneys.
Kramon & Graham announced today that five firm principals have been named "Lawyer of the Year" Baltimore in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. In addition, sixteen firm attorneys were selected for inclusion in the ranking guide. The attorneys represent Kramon & Graham's full range of practices from litigation to transactional services.
Kramon & Graham, a leading law firm providing litigation, real estate, and transactional services, announced today that nine firm attorneys have been recognized for legal excellence and client service by the 2018 Chambers USA legal ranking guide.
In the 2018 edition of Benchmark Litigation, the definitive guide to America's leading business litigation firms and attorneys, Kramon & Graham earns top marks as one of Maryland's leading law firms.
Kramon & Graham, a leading law firm providing litigation, real estate, and transactional services, is pleased to announce that thirteen firm attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Kramon & Graham, one of Maryland's leading law firms, has been selected to appear in the 2017 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. The firm received top-tier status for its Commercial Litigation practice. Kramon & Graham has held the top position in this area for more than ten consecutive years.
Six Kramon & Graham principals have been recognized in Benchmark Litigation 2017, a leading legal guide that provides analysis of commercial and financial litigators in the United States.
Kramon & Graham is pleased to announce that firm co-founder Andrew Jay Graham has been named the 2017 Litigation - Securities "Lawyer of the Year" and that Natalie McSherry has been named Medical Malpractice Defense "Lawyer if the Year" for Baltimore by The Best Lawyers in America, the oldest lawyer-rating publication in the U.S. The "Lawyer of the Year" distinction is presented to individuals who have received outstanding ratings from their peers in Best Lawyers surveys.
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business announced its final rankings for the 2016 edition with Kramon & Graham receiving top-tier status in Band 1 for Commercial Litigation -- a position it has been honored to receive for more than ten consecutive years.
In the 2016 edition of “Best Law Firms,” Kramon & Graham receives National Tier ranking for its real estate and securities litigation practices and Tier 1 Metropolitan rankings for ten of its practice areas, including real estate, litigation, criminal defense, health care, and insurance law.
Benchmark Litigation, a leading legal guide that identifies U.S. trial attorneys and law firms, has selected five of the firm's principals as local "Litigation Stars."
Kramon & Graham is pleased to announce the recognition of several of its attorneys in the 2016 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.
Kramon & Graham, P.A. is pleased to announce that four of its attorneys are ranked in the 2015 edition of Chambers USA, a highly respected annual guide of America's leading lawyers. The Firm, along with only two other law firms in Maryland, is again ranked in Band 1 – the highest ranking – for Litigation.
Benchmark Litigation has announced that Kramon & Graham, P.A. is the winner of Benchmark's award for the Maryland Law Firm of the Year for 2015.
Kramon & Graham is pleased to announce that eight of its Principals have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 21st Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.
Kramon & Graham, P.A. is pleased to announce that four of its attorneys are ranked in the 2014 edition of Chambers USA, a prestigious annual guide of America's leading lawyers. The Firm, along with only two other law firms in Maryland, is again ranked in Band 1 – the highest ranking – for Litigation.
The 2014 edition of Benchmark Litigation has ranked Kramon & Graham, P.A. in the top tier of litigation firms in Maryland.
Kramon & Graham is proud to announce that eight firm principals are listed in the 2014 Edition of Best Lawyers in America.
Kramon & Graham is recognized in the top band of Maryland law firms for Commercial Litigation, according to Chambers USA.
Kramon & Graham is listed in the 2013 edition of Benchmark Litigation, the “definitive guide to America's leading litigation firms & attorneys.”
Kramon & Graham is proud to announce that eight firm principals have been listed in the Nineteenth Edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Chambers quotes a source as saying Kramon & Graham is “a fine firm full of high-quality lawyers.”