James R. A. Dawson

Jim is a member of Taft’s litigation practice team. He concentrates his practice in the area of commercial litigation, with particular emphasis on landlord/tenant and creditors’ and debtors’ rights litigation, including the prosecution and defense of commercial collection actions, commercial mortgage foreclosures, and litigation involving sales, negotiable instruments, banking, and secured transactions. 

Jim also has extensive experience in higher education litigation. He has served as counsel to a public university in many different areas, including civil rights, tort claims, and breach of contract. In addition, he is counsel to three of the largest owners/developers of shopping centers in Indiana, providing representation in both landlord/tenant and construction cases.

In 2008-2009, Jim served as in-house counsel to Automotive Finance Corporation, a company providing floorplan secured financing to automobile dealers nationwide. From 1999-2002, he served as in-house general counsel to the After Bankruptcy Foundation, a not-for-profit organization providing financial counseling and services to individuals in bankruptcy. 

Jim is honored by Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation-Real Estate and Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law and was selected as the 2021 "Lawyer of the Year" in the Indianapolis market for Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law and 2020 "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation-Real Estate. He is a frequent lecturer on creditors’ and debtors’ rights and landlord/tenant seminars.