James L. Weisman is a graduate of the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He has been continuously engaged in private practice since 1963. His practice has primarily been focused on bankruptcy law, business and commercial law and personal injury cases including motor vehicle accidents, products liability and medical malpractice. In the personal injury field, he has personally handled cases involving catastrophic injuries. He has litigated and continues to actively litigate in all of these areas. In addition to his admission to practice before the courts in Pennsylvania, he has been admitted specially to practice in federal bankruptcy courts and other state and federal courts. He has been named by his peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer.

Since 2001, Mr. Weisman has been a member of the Board of Directors of Retail Ventures, Inc. (RVI), a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.  He serves as the Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee for RVI.  He has also chaired from time to time special committees of the RVI Board for matters related to an initial public offering of $285.5 million for a minority portion of DSW. Inc., a controlled subsidiary of RVI, a public offering $143.75 million of mandatorily exchangeable notes, and refinancing transactions involving related parties. He was invited by Corporate Board Member Magazine to participate in a roundtable on corporate governance which he did with a limited number of chairs of Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees of other public companies. Prior to his election to the RVI Board, Mr. Weisman provided legal services to Value City Department Stores, Inc. (the former name of RVI), Schottenstein Stores Corporation and American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.

Mr. Weisman serves on the Board of Directors of The Watson Institute a non-profit educational organization serving children with special needs suffering from autism and emotional problems, and educating people who serve these children.

Mr. Weisman stands ready to serve you. If he is contacted about something that he is unable to handle, he can frequently direct you to a reliable person to help with your needs. There is no charge for an initial consultation.

Areas of Practice

• Bankruptcy Law
• Business & Commercial Law
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Personal Injury
• Products Liability
• Medical Malpractice

Bar Admissions

• Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Tax Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit

Education

• University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  J.D.
  
  
• Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1960
  
  

Honors and Awards

• Named by his Peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer
• AV-Rated Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Pennsylvania Association for Justice; American Association for Justice; American Bar Association; Pennsylvania Bar Association; Federal Bar Association; Allegheny County Bar Association
  
  

Pro Bono Activities

• Board of Directors, The Watson Institute