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James R. A. Dawson
- E jdawson@taftlaw.com
- T (317) 713-3568
- F (317) 713-3699
Summary
Jim concentrates his practice in the area of commercial litigation, with particular emphasis on creditors’ and debtors’ rights litigation, including the prosecution and defense of commercial collection actions, commercial mortgage foreclosures, landlord/tenant litigation, construction and mechanic’s lien foreclosures, receiverships, bankruptcy litigation including fraudulent conveyance and preference litigation, lender liability, and litigation involving sales, negotiable instruments, banking and secured transactions. He successfully defended an alleged guarantor on a $225k negotiable instrument in Jackson v. Luellen Farms, Inc., 877 N.E.2d 848 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007).
Jim is also counsel to one of the largest owners/developers of shopping centers in Indiana, providing representation in both landlord/tenant and construction cases. In 2008-2009, he 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.
Awards
Honoree, Best Lawyers in America (2017 – present)
Honoree, Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law (2021)
Honoree, Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Litigation (2020)
All Service Areas
All Practices
All Industries
Education
- Indiana University - Robert H. McKinney School of Law (1997)
- Indiana University (1993)
Admissions
- Federal - Northern District of Indiana
- Federal - Southern District of Indiana
- State - Indiana
News
Two Hundred and Thirty-One Taft Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers® 2021 News
Fourteen Taft Attorneys Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers® 2021 News
Eighteen Taft Attorneys Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers® 2020 News
One Hundred and Sixty-Seven Taft Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers ® 2020
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
Member
- Indiana State Bar Association
Member
- Indianapolis Bar Association
Member