Beakes III

Jim is a member of the Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Healthcare Group. He focuses his litigation practice on general, trucking and healthcare matters.

• Tort, Transportation & Specialized Litigation
• Trucking Litigation
• Appellate & Written Advocacy
• Drug & Device Litigation

• Entertainment and Media
• Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Healthcare

• Assisted discovery, motions, and trial teams in preparation and administration of federal MDL and/or related state proceedings in Propecia, Accutane, Tylenol, Diet Drugs and Oxycontin products liability litigations
• Represented clients in products liability matters involving claims against manufacturers and/or distributors of various types of products, including pharmaceuticals, automobiles, tires, utility vehicles, cranes, packaging materials, and consumer products  
• Experience representing trucking and transportation clients including regional/national trucking companies and property freight broker.
• Representative experience as co-lead and assisting trial counsel includes:
  • Mayfield v. Averitt Express, Inc., Circuit Court for Rutherford County, Tennessee
  • Parrish v. Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
  • Johnson v. Sumner Regional Medical Center, Circuit Court for Sumner County, Tennessee
  • Big Creek Landscaping, LLC v. Hudson Constr. Co., Chancery court for Davidson County, Tennessee
• Experience briefing and/or arguing appellate matters before the Tennessee and Federal Appellate courts.  Representative Matters include:
  • Carolyn Coffman et al. v. Armstrong International Inc. et al., No. 2-484-14, Supreme Court of Tennessee at Knoxville.
  • Vickie S. Young, Individually and as Administrator of the Estate of Randall Josh Young, Deceased v. Frist Cardiology, PLLC et al., No. M2019-00316-SC-R11-CV.
  • Westfield v. Fed. Republic of Germany, 633 F.3d 409 (6th 2011) (Affirming dismissal of plaintiff’s claims under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act)
  • Lamar Tenn., LLC v. Metro. Bd. of Zoning Appeals, No. M2007-00883-COA-R3-CV, 2010 Tenn. App. LEXIS 173 (Tenn. Ct. App. Mar. 5, 2010) (Reversing judgment of Chancery Court on Plaintiff’s petition for writ of certiorari)
  • Waters v. Coker, 229 S.W.3d 682 (Tenn. 2007) (Reversing judgment of court of appeals and reinstating judgment of trial court in favor of Defendant following jury trial)
  • Big Creek Landscaping, LLC v. Hudson Constr. Co., No. M2006-01657-COA-R3-CV, 2007 Tenn. App. LEXIS 645 (Tenn. Ct. App. 22, 2007) (Affirming judgment of Chancery Court following bench trial)
  • Stewart v. Cottrell, 255 S.W.3d 582 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2007)

• Martindale-Hubbell®
  • Notable™, 2008-2017

• Georgia, 2002
• Tennessee, 2005
• U.S. District Courts
• Tennessee: Eastern, Middle, Western
• Georgia: Northern, Middle
• U.S. Court of Appeals
• 6th Circuit

• Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 2002
  • Managing Editor, Vanderbilt Law Review
  • Phi Kappa Phi
• Duke University, B.A., 1997

• American Bar Association
• Nashville Bar Association
• Tennessee Bar Association
• Georgia Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute (DRI)

• Author, "Update: Preemption of Claims Against Brand Pharmaceutical Manufacturers After Mutual Pharmaceuticals, Co., V. Bartlett," Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 8, No. 1, May 2015.
• Author, “Will Compounding Pharmacies Be Hit With Compounding Regulation in the Wake of Meningitis Outbreak?” Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 5, No. 4, November 2012.
• Presenter, "Social Media and E-Discovery in the Practice of Law," Tennessee Bar Association Tech Conference, (2011-2012).
• Presenter, "New Tennessee E-Discovery Rules," Tennessee Credit Union League Compliance Conference (2009).
• Recent Developments Regarding the Discovery of Electronic Media.
• Author, "The Application of Conflict of Laws to Evidentiary Privileges," DRI, Evidentiary Privileges for Corporate Counsel (2008).
• Author, "Electronic Discovery and the Emergence of the Independent Tort of Spoliation," DRI Young Lawyers Committee Newsletter (Jan. 2008).