A former Ethics Counsel whose experience with the Virginia State Bar provides an advantage in defending attorneys
James (“Jim”) M. McCauley is a lawyers’ lawyer, having spent over 33 years with the Virginia State Bar (VSB) after a stint in private practice. Jim started his career in Fairfax at McCandlish Lillard before making the move to practice with a firm in Newport News, where he spent five years in federal court in the Eastern and Western Districts and the Court of Appeals. Jim gained experience as a general practitioner, handling criminal, traffic, divorce, and insurance defense cases, in addition to asbestos litigation. From there, he spent two years at a Norfolk-based firm handling medical malpractice defense work and complex products liability work.
Six years after beginning his legal career, Jim joined the Virginia State Bar as its prosecutor and assistant bar counsel, where he prosecuted cases for over six years before taking on the role of Ethics Counsel, one he held until retirement in 2022. While with the VSB, Jim provided legal ethics advice to judges and lawyers, researched and authored articles and opinions on legal ethics, investigated and prosecuted complaints of lawyer misconduct before District Committees, Disciplinary Board, and Three-Judge Courts, and managed the Ethics Hotline. His time served with the VSB uniquely qualifies Jim to represent attorneys and law firms in trouble with the Bar, as he knows the organization inside and out. While working for the VSB, Jim also taught professional responsibility for 15 years as an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond Law School and gave hundreds of CLE presentations statewide, nationally, and overseas.
Coming out of retirement, Jim hung up his own shingle on January 1, 2023, providing consulting and expert witness services and representing lawyers and law firms on professional regulation matters. He was a solo practitioner for three years before joining ThompsonMcMullan in an Of Counsel role, where he is able to take advantage of the firm’s streamlined workflows and administrative skills, allowing him to do what he does best – practice law on behalf of attorneys.
When he isn’t practicing, Jim spends his time playing all types of guitar – bass, electric, and acoustic – fishing, traveling with his family, and spending as much time with his granddaughter as he can.
Practices
Professional Licensure, Administrative, and Regulatory Disputes
Representative Experience
- Law firm breakups and dissolutions
- Disqualification motions
- Proactive risk management and legal ethics consultations
- First chair jury and bench trials in personal injury, products liability, employment and family law cases
- Handled complex litigation in state and federal courts defending medical malpractice claims and prosecuted plaintiffs’ products liability cases
- Amicus Curiae Brief filed the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit—In re Elizabeth Jane Peiffer, Appellant/United States of America/Appellee v. David Anthony Runyon, Defendant, No. 23-5, July 2023.
- Rebecca Lawlor and LENAHC, LLC v. Michael H. Levinson, Case No. CL21000421-00, Virginia Beach Circuit Court—Expert Report and Rebuttal Report—January/February 2024.
- Kinberly Moss v. H. Christopher Moss, Civil Action No. CL22002453, Alexandria Circuit Court, Plaintiff’s Expert Designation filed March 11, 2024.
- Dialect, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-581-DJN-LRV, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division; Defendant’s’ Expert Declaration of James McCauley, filed May 2, 2024; Reply Declaration filed June 14, 2024.
- Clare Locke LLP, Claimant v. Megan Meier, Daniel Watkins, Andrew
- Phillips & Dustin Pusch, Respondents, AAA Case No. 01-23-0004-4611—Expert Report filed in July 2024. Testified on behalf of Clare Locke on May 9, 2025
- Stephen R. Cutright v. Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen, et. al, CL22-62, Henrico County Circuit Court; designated as expert witness for Plaintiff.
- In the Matter of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Claimant v. Glenstone Foundation, Inc, Respondent, AAA Case No. 01-23-000408257—Expert Report filed in October 2024; testified before arbitration panel on November 5, 2024, on behalf of Katten.
Recognition
- Travers Scholarship Award, Virginia State Bar Real Property Section (2021)
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly “Leaders in the Law List”
- Voted the Leader in the Law by his peers (2018)
Education
- T.C. Williams School of Law, J.D., 1982
- Law Review
- Edward Hudgins Memorial Award Scholarship for Leadership
- James Madison University, B.A., Political Science, cum laude, 1979
Admissions
- All Virginia Courts including the Supreme Court of VA
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of VA
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- ABA Center for Professional Responsibility
- ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility (2008-2011)
- American Bar Foundation Fellow
- Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers
- Virginia Law Foundation Fellow
- Virginia State Bar
- Board of Governors, Senior Lawyers Section (2025-2028)
- Professionalism Committee member (2024-2027)