Jim brings over three decades of franchise litigation, arbitration, and mediation experience to Plave Koch. Jim's resume includes some of the most significant cases in franchising.

Jim specializes in franchise and trademark litigation. He has litigated, and won, cases in trial and appellate courts, as well as arbitration, across the country and internationally. He has represented franchisors and manufacturers in a wide variety of contract, business tort, antitrust, trademark, and state statutory cases. He also counsels franchisors on the operation of multiple and competing brands, anti-trust issues, trademark law and franchise termination disputes and distribution issues.

Jim served as a judicial clerk for the Hon. J. Clifford Wallace on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Diego, CA. Jim has written on a variety of issues relating to franchise litigation, and has presented at the International Franchise Association Convention and Legal Symposium, and at the ABA Forum on Franchising.

Education

George Washington University National Law Center, Washington, District of Columbia
- J.D.
- Honors: Order of the Coif
- Honors: with high honors
- Honors: Editor in Chief, The George Washington Law Review, Vol. 48
Brown University
- B.A.

Honors

2023 American Lawyer Top Rated Litigator
U.S. News Best Lawyers in America
International Who’s Who
Who’s Who Legal, Global Leader
Super Lawyers

Bar Admissions

Virginia Supreme Court
N.Y. Court of Appeals
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
U.S. District Court Western District of New York
U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia
U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court Southern District of New York

Professional Associations

American Bar Association (Forum on Franchising, Litigation, Antitrust, and IP sections)
Virginia State Bar
New York State Bar Association
Bar Association of the District of Columbia