James P. Mooney

JAMES MOONEY focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels.

James serves as a trusted advisor to clients across a range of industries, from semiconductors and medical devices to accounting and professional sports. His experience includes writing dispositive motions and appellate briefs, arguing successfully in federal court, and helping clients navigate internal issues, including at the board level.

Before joining Sidley, James clerked for the Honorable Lee H. Rosenthal of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and the Honorable Thomas M. Hardiman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He also completed a yearlong public service fellowship at the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

James earned his J.D. from Yale Law School and his B.A. in history, magna cum laude, from Davidson College. He has published essays in The Yale Law Journal and The Yale Law & Policy Review.

James’s representative matters include:

• Drafting pre- and post-trial briefs, and winning an oral argument on federal jury instructions, in a semiconductor patent infringement case.
• Briefing a consolidated Federal Circuit appeal from three inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
• Leading meetings with a Fortune 500 client to investigate alleged supply chain breakdowns and prepare for a potential arbitration.
• Advising a client’s managing partner on navigating a board dispute in compliance with applicable law and board procedures.
• Drafting a summary judgment motion and other filings for a large health insurer in a coverage dispute.
• Managing a team of 11 associates to prepare a sensitive subpoena response for a major accounting firm.

James serves on the executive board of the Next Generation Society of the ACLU of Illinois (“Next Gen”). Next Gen engages ACLU supporters through educational panels, book clubs, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising that fully supports an ACLU attorney position.

James is committed to protecting constitutional rights and fighting racial and economic disparities in the legal system. Representative matters include:

• Coauthoring a brief that advanced several prisoner’s rights claims past summary judgment in federal court, leading to a favorable settlement.
• Drafting a certiorari petition to the U.S. Supreme Court in a death penalty case.