People
James Sandnes
Partner
- New York
Biography
James (Jim) Sandnes focuses on complex litigation, including cases related to insurance coverage, commercial and financial services matters. He provides a broad range of counsel to businesses (in many sectors), including insurers, MGA's, securities broker dealers as well as sales, marketing and technology companies.
With respect to insurers Jim’s expertise includes addressing D&O, general liability, and transactional risk exposures (including complex very high limits judgement protection insurance), as well as certain specialty polices, such as EB-5 visa insurance and technology warranties.
In commercial litigation, his experience extends to national litigation on diverse subject matters ranging from corporate fiduciary litigation and aircraft leasing to sales and marketing, technology contracts, trade secret, business tort, business break up and appraisal and employment matters. He has also served as US discovery counsel in a multi-billion dollar international arbitration related to cell phone frequency licensing.
Prior to joining Skarzynski Marick, Jim served as corporate general counsel to a Reston, Virginia-based technology company. In his in-house role, he gained diverse experience in operational, transactional and litigation issues related to technology and licensing. As a result, Jim frequently advises clients on transactional, employment, entertainment and marketing issues. He has helped clients draft direct sales compensation plans, celebrity product endorsement contracts, national spirit alcohol marking contracts, technology use and licensing agreements, investment documentation and commercial, transactional and vendor arrangements.
Jim served as a law clerk to the Honorable Mary Johnson Lowe, District Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He then honed his skills as a litigator at a major Wall Street firm, where he worked on significant securities, media, First Amendment, entertainment, insurance, trade secret, trademark and taxation matters.
For many years, Jim served as Skarzynski Marick’s Managing Partner and was also a member of the Executive Committee. Jim currently serves as the firm's Chief Financial Partner.
With respect to insurers Jim’s expertise includes addressing D&O, general liability, and transactional risk exposures (including complex very high limits judgement protection insurance), as well as certain specialty polices, such as EB-5 visa insurance and technology warranties.
In commercial litigation, his experience extends to national litigation on diverse subject matters ranging from corporate fiduciary litigation and aircraft leasing to sales and marketing, technology contracts, trade secret, business tort, business break up and appraisal and employment matters. He has also served as US discovery counsel in a multi-billion dollar international arbitration related to cell phone frequency licensing.
Prior to joining Skarzynski Marick, Jim served as corporate general counsel to a Reston, Virginia-based technology company. In his in-house role, he gained diverse experience in operational, transactional and litigation issues related to technology and licensing. As a result, Jim frequently advises clients on transactional, employment, entertainment and marketing issues. He has helped clients draft direct sales compensation plans, celebrity product endorsement contracts, national spirit alcohol marking contracts, technology use and licensing agreements, investment documentation and commercial, transactional and vendor arrangements.
Jim served as a law clerk to the Honorable Mary Johnson Lowe, District Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He then honed his skills as a litigator at a major Wall Street firm, where he worked on significant securities, media, First Amendment, entertainment, insurance, trade secret, trademark and taxation matters.
For many years, Jim served as Skarzynski Marick’s Managing Partner and was also a member of the Executive Committee. Jim currently serves as the firm's Chief Financial Partner.
Honors
- Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Rated, Judicial Edition, 2023
- Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Rated
- New York Super Lawyers, 2011, 2013 - 2023
- Served on a joint judicial screening committee of the New York County Lawyers Association and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Professional Associations
- New York County Lawyers Association, Member
- Federal Bar Counsel, Member
- Professional Liability Underwriters Society (PLUS), Member
Experience
experience
- Representing a private equity/hedge fund with respect to its interest in a publically traded Nevada corporation in litigation relating to stock dilution created by a series of transactions with related parties. Recently obtained a very favorable ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit on a complex federal jurisdictional issue.
- Representing a major direct sales company in ongoing national multi-jurisdictional litigation in federal courts in Florida and Missouri. Obtained preliminary injunctive relief preventing sales force raiding and a number of other favorable rulings on pleading and discovery motions.
- Prevented the issuance of a preliminary injunction seeking to order a major D&O insurer to advance its $20 million policy limits in a complex fraud multi-district litigation. Successfully argued that the absence of a critical endorsement was a scrivener’s error, resulting in a favorable settlement for the client.
- Successfully litigated on behalf of three major D&O insurers as quota share participants on a $40 million dollar insurance policy. The case was unusual because the relief granted by the Delaware Chancery court was equitable in nature, resulting in substantial questions as to coverage for any fee award. Obtained a successful reversal of the trial court’s finding of coverage from the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court, saving the insurers a substantial portion of the limits involved.
- Representing a major aircraft leasing company against a South American airline in a $50 million dollar aircraft lease default litigation pending in the Commercial Division of the New York Supreme Court. Successfully obtained the return of the aircraft. Currently pursuing substantial money judgment against the airline and number of related entitles.
- Successfully represented a 3-D display technologies company in contract and security interest litigation in both the New York state courts and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York involving an attempt by an investor use a debt security interest to seize certain patents and patent applications. Resolved the litigation with no cash payment--the client merely granted a royalty-bearing patent license to the plaintiff.
- Successfully represented a major public manufacturing company in an arbitration against its travel provider alleging that the travel provider failed to properly protect the company’s interest in negotiating with travel vendors. Obtained over $1 million in travel credits for the client.
Results
Skarzynski Black Wins Ruling on Disgorgement
03/29/2017Skarzynski Black obtains a declaratory judgment ruling, on behalf of an insurer, holding that a D&O policy did not cover settlement payments in the nature of disgorgement.
publications & presentations
- Trial Advocacy, Depositions and Federal Procedure, The N.Y. County Lawyers’ Association, Committee on the Federal Courts, Presenter.
News
Seventeen Lawyers Named 2023 New York-Metro: Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
09/22/2023We are excited to announce that Super Lawyers has named 17 of our lawyers to its 2023 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Thirteen lawyers were recognized as 2023 New York Metro Super Lawyers and four lawyers were recognized 2023 New York Metro Rising Stars.