James Murphy concentrates his practice in construction litigation, insurance coverage, and catastrophic personal injury matters. He represents developers, general contractors, and commercial property owners in high-exposure disputes involving complex construction defects, mold exposure, and multi-party commercial and industrial claims. James is valued by clients for his strategic handling of litigation and his ability to drive favorable outcomes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and trial.

Before joining Segal McCambridge, James was a partner at Chapman Glucksman, a full-service California litigation firm, where he handled a diverse portfolio of construction defect, insurance bad faith, and serious injury cases. He continues to litigate matters involving hotels, casinos, and large-scale commercial structures across California. Earlier in his career, he served as a law clerk to Professor Robert Lutz in international law and held editorial roles on law review.

James earned his J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law, where he was named Law Review Note and Comment Editor of the Year and received both the Dean’s List and Dean’s Scholarship Award. He holds a B.A. in political science with a minor in art history from Trinity College.

Outside of work, James enjoys golf, reading historical non-fiction, and volunteering as a librarian and teacher at his daughters’ school.

 

Professional & Civic Involvement

  • Association of Southern California Defense Counsel