Counsel

James Hoffman is a member of the Life Insurance & Annuities Practice Group.  An experienced trial lawyer and executive leader, Jim has served in leadership roles in business, government and law, and his background enables him to counsel his clients on complex legal issues and to help them harmonize their business goals and objectives with legal requirements.

Life Insurance Litigation.  Jim concentrates his practice on representing major carriers in business litigation relating to the development, sale, underwriting and administration of high-face-value life insurance policies.  Before joining Drinker Biddle, Jim served as vice president and associate general counsel for litigation at Lincoln Financial Group.  In this role, he led and managed litigation arising out of company operations, and successfully defended class actions, FINRA arbitrations and individual life insurance and annuity cases, including the defeat of two purported nationwide class-action lawsuits, the dismissal of two claims intended to derail a large company merger and a complete defense jury verdict in one of the industry-recognized riskiest jurisdictions.  For three years, Jim served as chair of the Litigation Committee for the American Council of Life Insurers, the largest life insurance trade association in the United States.  For several years, Jim has taken a lead role in the life insurance industry to oppose the explosive growth of sales on the secondary market of fraudulently procured policies, known as stranger-originated life insurance (STOLI).

Commercial Litigation.  In addition to his life insurance litigation background, Jim has over 10 years’ experience as a trial lawyer in other complex commercial litigation, including insurance, real estate, commercial banking and construction matters.  He has successfully tried numerous bench and jury trials in state and federal court, has argued successfully in several appellate cases and has a number of victories reflected in reported decisions.

In General.  Jim holds a B.S. in engineering from the United States Military Academy, where he was selected as the highest-ranking cadet, First Captain.  After completing Airborne and Ranger Training and leading special units as an Army officer, Jim received his J.D. from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary.  Jim serves as a director on a number of the boards of community and charitable organizations.

Admitted in Virginia, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia only.  Pennsylvania admission pending.