James Nevin

james nevin headshotA San Francisco Bay Area native, James Nevin received a bachelor of arts from Boston College (majoring in International Studies), a master of arts in Asian Studies from Stanford University, and a law degree from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), where he was an editor on the UCLA Law Review.

Mr. Nevin is a partner and trial counsel with the firm. He has been with Brayton Purcell since March 2002. His legal practice focuses on all litigation and trials representing personal injury and wrongful death plaintiffs, specializing in toxic torts, such as asbestos and mesothelioma, artificial stone silicosis, benzene-caused diseases, other toxic torts, catastrophic injury and death, and shareholder/director fiduciary duty disputes. In 2004, Mr. Nevin attended the ABA/TIPS/ABOTA National Trial Academy held at the National Judicial College, and in 2007, he returned as a member of the faculty. Mr. Nevin is a regular speaker at conferences, seminars, and other CLE events. In 2010, Mr. Nevin was honored as one of the Forty Under Forty Leading Professionals by the North Bay Business Journal. In 2009, 2011, and 2012, he was selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list. From 2013 to the present, Mr. Nevin has been selected as a Super Lawyer.

In 2011, Mr. Nevin became the youngest member in the history of the San Francisco Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and the second youngest member in the history of National ABOTA. In April 2012, Mr. Nevin was honored to be among the 50 Fast Track Lawyers chosen by The Recorder. In 2012, 2013, and again in 2014, Mr. Nevin was selected to the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, an honor held only by the top 40 trial attorneys in California under the age of 40. In 2012, 2013, 2014, and again in 2015, Mr. Nevin was honored by the National Trial Lawyers when he was selected for membership in the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California. In 2014, he joined the Board of Directors of the Marin Trial Lawyers Association. In both 2014 and 2015, Mr. Nevin was recognized as one of San Francisco’s Top Rated Lawyers by Legal Leaders magazine. His prior legal experience includes work as a law clerk for the Washington State Court of Appeals. In 2020, his rank in ABOTA was elevated to Advocate. Mr. Nevin is a Past President of the Marin Trial Lawyers Association‘s Board of Directors.

Mr. Nevin has devoted his legal career to obtaining justice for American workers and their families who have been victimized by toxic exposures in the workplace. He is admitted to practice in the state of California, the state of Washington, the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, and the United States District Courts in California and Washington state. He is a member the American Association for JusticeConsumer Attorneys of CaliforniaConsumer Attorneys Association of Los AngelesSan Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA), the American Bar Association, the Bar Association of San Francisco, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the National Trial Lawyers. Mr. Nevin’s legal career was highlighted in the August 2015 issue of Plaintiff Magazine and again in the October 17, 2022 issue of Primerus Weekly.

Education

University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California

  • J.D. - 2002
  • Law Review: UCLA Law Review, Editor

Stanford University

  • M.A. - 1998
  • Major: Asian Studies

Boston College

  • B.A - 1997
  • Major: International Studies

Published Works

  • Tribute to One San Francisco Juror, Daily Journal, January 18, 2012
  • Obstacles to Internet Voting: Perceived Problems with Security and ‘Digital Divide’ Vote Dilution, 6 W.Va. J. L. & Tech. 2.1, May 10, 2002
  • Juror ID: 2639371, Voir Dire, Volume 25, Issue 2- Pages 22-23, 2018

Past Positions

  • Washington State Court of Appeals, Law clerk

Professional Associations

  • American Board of Trial Advocates, Advocate Member, Present
  • Consumer Attorneys of California, Member, Present
  • American Association for Justice, Member, Present
  • Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, Member, Present
  • San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA), Member, Present
  • National Trial Lawyers, Member, Present
  • Marin Trial Lawyers Association, President (2016 to 2018), Present
  • The Bar Association of San Francisco, Member, Present
  • Marin County Bar Association, Member, Present

Bar Admission

  • California - 2002
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California - 2003
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit - 2003
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California - 2003
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California - 2003
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California - 2003
  • Washington - 2014

Honors

  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) Inducted in 2011, Rank Raised to Advocate in 2020
  • 40 Under 40 Leading Professionals – North Bay Business Journal, – 2010
  • Northern California Rising Star – Super Lawyers, 2009, 2011 – 2012
  • Northern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2013 – present
  • Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California – The National Trial Lawyers Association, 2012 – 2015
  • 50 Fast Track Lawyers – The Recorder, – 2012
  • Top 40 Under 40 Trial Lawyers – The National Trial Lawyers Association, 2012 – 2014
  • San Francisco’s Top Rated Lawyers – Legal Leaders Magazine, 2014 – 2015

Classes & Seminars

  • ABOTA
  • Harris Martin
  • Perrin
  • PALS

Current Employment Position

  • Partner
  • Trial Attorney

What Our Clients Say

  • Brayton Purcell has done a lot of work for me and I appreciate very much what you’ve done, what everyone has done…Thank you very, very much and I appreciate everything that has been done.
  • I just wanted to thank you so very much for all the work that you’ve done for us. This has allowed me to help my daughter an awful lot…This allowed me to buy her her first home, also put away a savings bond and started a little annuity for her. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this had you not worked so hard to get the monies that you did. I just want to let you know I really appreciate it.
  • On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to extend our appreciation and gratitude for the way your firm handled my late husband’s case. Everyone that I dealt with was courteous, patient, and prompt in responding to my questions and concerns. Thank you very much for the excellent job, and most of all for your support during the process. Your guidance and the resolution to our case has brought closure to a difficult chapter in my life.
  • When The Brayton-Purcell Firm took my case I had almost given up hope of ever getting before a jury. I had a difficult and long standing case and had already been with two firms. Brayton-Purcell attorney Jason Rose worked closely with me, keeping me updated and giving me access to him which gave me a feeling of having someone truly on my side; a feeling that they were putting their whole effort into my case. Just getting this case a court date was an amazing feat. When we went to trial I met Gil Purcell and watched these two work professionally against great odds. They knew what they were doing, knew how to adapt to issues as they came up and all the while helped me hold up. We received a terrific verdict and are now in the appeal process. I have confidence that the Brayton-Purcell appellate team will be as competent and compassionate for me as my trial team was. Coming together with this firm has brought me a sense of confidence and peace that I wasn’t sure I was going to get a chance to feel.
  • I’d like to thank Brayton & Purcell for all the work your firm has done for me. I have asbestosis and without Brayton Purcell representing me the likelihood of getting compensated by asbestos manufacturers and the material suppliers of asbestos products would be zero. The law partners who run the show already know this, but I am going to write it down anyway. Every contact I had with anyone at Brayton Purcell LLP be it phone, fax, email and or personally, I’ve been treated courteously and promptly by your great employees.
  • From my first contact with your firm, I have been treated with respect, compassion, and in a most professional manner. …Nothing will ever take away this pain of loss but the settlement will help provide since I have health problems and am unable to work.
  • Your work has allowed us to continue to live our lives without fear of financial ruin and to be able to plan a future. . .
  • . . .Thank you for all you have done for me and for Bill before he died. You have been so caring. . .