Fishman Haygood, L.L.P.
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James R. Swanson

Partner

Partner

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Practice Focus

Class Actions/Mass Actions/MDLs Environmental Governmental Securities Litigation International Arbitration Ponzi/Banking Schemes Securities and Antitrust Tax

About

Jim Swanson was among Fishman Haygood’s founding partners in 1996. He served as the firm’s Managing Partner for 16 years, and he is the current Chairman of its board of directors. As a commercial trial lawyer, Jim has particular experience in securities litigation, domestic and international arbitration, environmental litigation, and general commercial matters.

“Jim is a very savvy, experienced veteran litigator. He has a sharp mind for business.” —Litigation: General Commercial Client, Chambers and Partners

Jim has handled numerous cases in which clients have received multimillion-dollar recoveries. Noteworthy matters include a jury verdict of $26 million against Tennessee Gas, a $26 million arbitration award against Securities America, a $40 million settlement following a full arbitration hearing against a major U.S. investment bank, a $30 million settlement of a case against a major oil refining company, several investment treaty arbitration in the tens of millions of dollars, and a settlement of claims against several major banks that totaled in excess of $1.5 billion shortly before the scheduled trial.

Experience

  • Represents the Official Stanford Investors Committee (OSIC), with claimed damages exceeding $5 billion, resulting from the infamous Stanford International Bank certificate of deposit Ponzi scheme in The Official Stanford Investors Committee. v. Bank of New York Mellon (24-cv-3070 N.D. Tex.); OSIC’s claims include aiding and abetting in the breach of fiduciary duty and aiding and abetting fraud related to BNYM’s role in providing banking services to Stanford International Bank and its affiliated entities, facilitating investors’ purchases of fraudulent CDs.
  • Represented individuals and the Official Stanford Investor’s Committee against five banks, with particular concentration on claims against Trustmark National Bank and Independent Bank of Texas (formerly known as Bank of Houston), in a lawsuit alleging the banks’ aiding and abetting of the $7 billion Ponzi scheme perpetrated by R. Allen Stanford; settlements of $100 million were reached with both Trustmark and Bank of Houston in early 2023, with total recoveries from all five bank defendants (The Toronto-Dominion Bank, Société Générale Private Banking (Suisse) S.A., HSBC Bank plc, Trustmark, and Bank of Houston) amounting to more than $1.6 billion.
  • Tried a 90-plus day securities arbitration for a group of individual investors that resulted in a $23 million judgment, including punitive damages.
  • Tried a corporate income tax case for the State of Louisiana which resulted in a $26 million jury verdict, including bad faith penalties.
  • Tried a securities fraud case for the City of New Orleans involving pension obligation bonds that was settled post-trial for a confidential amount.

Professional Activities & Community Involvement

Recognitions

Credentials

  • J.D., magna cum laude, from Tulane University School of Law, 1987
    • Associate Editor of the Tulane Law Review
    • Order of the Coif
  • B.A. from Tulane University, 1984
  • Louisiana
  • U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Notable Rankings

James Swanson 2025 Chambers BadgeLegal 500 New Orleans Elite Commercial Disputes Badge 2026Jim Swanson Best Lawyers 2026 Badge2026 Benchmark Litigation Litigation Star sealSuper Lawyers 2026 badge