Balch & Bingham Grows Litigation and Intellectual Property Practice with Addition of Former Military Prosecutor James Dawkins

Balch & Bingham is pleased to announce James Dawkins as the newest addition to the firm’s Litigation and Intellectual Property Practices.

His arrival to the firm’s Birmingham office strengthens Balch’s litigation group and its already dynamic Intellectual Property Practice, that includes attorneys experienced in patent, trade secret, unfair competition, copyright, and trademark law, as well as in emerging areas of law involving social media, the “internet of things”, distributed ledgers, data privacy, and data aggregation.

A veteran of the United States Air Force JAG Corps, James also joins in the strong tradition of Balch lawyers who have served their country in the military. As a judge advocate for five years, James served primarily as a military prosecutor, gaining robust courtroom experience and litigating a variety of criminal matters which included sexual misconduct and cybercrimes. During tours in San Antonio, Denver, and Djibouti, James advised commanders in all service branches on a broad range of legal issues, including administrative law and federal regulatory compliance.

We are excited to welcome James to the team. He gained outstanding courtroom experience during his time as a member of the United States Air Force JAG Corps that will benefit our litigation clients,” said Russ Campbell, chair of the Litigation Practice. 

James received his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama. His registration to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is pending. He received both an Air Force Commendation Medal and a Joint Service Commendation Medal during his active duty service. 

Will Hill Tankersley, chair of the Intellectual Property Practice and also a veteran, stated,

We are delighted to have Captain Dawkins on board. He will bring a great deal of talent to our intellectual property litigation practice, especially patent litigation. Balch has always prided itself on its veteran-friendly workplace and Captain Dawkins will find himself at a firm that honors his service.

“I knew immediately that Balch was going to be a great fit for me,” said James. “I’m thrilled to be joining a veteran-friendly employer who celebrates and encourages service to our nation, and a strong team of litigators whose work is well-regarded in jurisdictions across the country.”