James Billingsley, P.C.’s practice centers on bankruptcy and restructuring, insolvency litigation, receivership and commercial litigation, primarily for secured creditors, bondholders and commercial landlords. In the real estate area, Mr. Billingsley has a litigation practice in which he represents lenders and property owners in disputes involving real property issues. He also represents clients in traditional commercial litigation matters.
Mr. Billingsley’s experience spans the commercial marketplace, from financial services to manufacturing, real estate, retail, energy and aviation. He recognizes that each industry is different and is a firm believer that an attorney has to understand a client’s industry and how it works.
In more than 25 years of practice, Mr. Billingsley has extensive experience representing:
- Banks, lenders, and financial institutions in financial services litigation, receiverships and bankruptcy cases
- Commercial landlords and other property owners in real estate litigation, bankruptcy and leasehold matters
- Manufacturers and supply chain companies in litigation and insolvency disputes
- Troubled companies in financial distress
- Private equity and strategic buyers in the acquisition of distressed assets
Mr. Billingsley is a 1993 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a member of the Review of Litigation, and a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington.
Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
Education
- University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1993
- Review of Litigation - University of Texas, Arlington, B.B.A., 1987
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2024-present - Polsinelli PC
- Senior Partner, 2012-2024 - K&L Gates LLP
- Partner, 2008-2012 - Hughes & Luce LLP
- Associate/Partner, 1994-2007 - U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- Law Clerk to the Hon. Joe J. Fisher, 1993-1994
Professional Activities
Turnaround Management Association
Commercial Finance Association
- American Bankruptcy Institute
Honors and Awards
Listed in D Magazine for Best Lawyers in Dallas, in Bankruptcy and Workout, 2014 and 2016-2023
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
Listed in Texas Super Lawyers
Selected Publications
Co-Author, “The Door to Foreclosure Remains Open: The Appropriate Interplay Between Receivership and a Lender’s Right to Nonjudicial Trustee Sales in Texas,” The Texas Lawbook, February 11, 2021
Selected Speaking Engagements
Panelist, “Bankruptcy for In House Counsel,” Dallas Bar Association, May 4, 2023