James R. Thompson

"AV" Peer-Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and listed in the Bar Registry of Preeminent lawyers. Jim has over twenty years of sophisticated experience in state and federal civil trials, including claims involving complex commercial litigation, real estate disputes, contract disputes, fraud, deceptive trade practices, negligence, landlord/tenant, tortious interference, construction cases, zoning and planning board appeals, insurance coverage disputes and family law. He has represented plaintiffs and defendants in virtually all aspects of civil litigation in the State Trial Courts of Colorado and New Jersey, the Federal Trial Courts of Colorado, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

In addition to his trial experience, Jim represents clients before various county and municipal boards and commissions in connection with zoning and planning applications. He regularly counsels clients on a variety of legal issues in the real estate, insurance, corporate and distributorship/franchise areas. This counseling often involves the preparation of various types of agreements necessary for the business operation, including employment, non-disclosure, sale and manufacturing, and distribution and licensing. His clients have ranged from major corporations to small businesses to individuals.

Jim has served as a Court appointed arbitrator for commercial litigation and personal injury cases. A trained family law mediator, he also served as a Court appointed Matrimonial Early Settlement panelist for divorce cases.

After graduating from Moorestown Friends School in New Jersey, Jim received his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Denver in 1983. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law, Camden, NJ in 1986.

Jim began his legal career in Colorado during the summer of 1984 as an intern to Chief Justice William H. Erickson of the Colorado Supreme Court and upon graduation from law school in 1986, began practicing law in Colorado. Jim started with a small firm, focusing on business and real estate transactional matters and soon moved on to a medium-sized firm where he transitioned to commercial litigation matters. In 1990 he left Denver and moved to the Philadelphia metropolitan area (Cherry Hill, NJ). There he practiced with the century-old Philadelphia based large regional law firm of Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP. Early in his 14 years at Obermayer, Jim rose to partner in the firm's litigation department.

In August 2005, Jim returned to Colorado to join his brother in practice. Today, Thompson & Thompson and Obermayer enjoy an "Of Counsel" affiliation, enabling each to draw on the resources of the other to better serve their clients.