Driving appeals with plain English and logically compelling interpretations

James Goldschmidt helps clients litigate and win complex appeals by crafting clear, persuasive legal briefs and arguments. Combining deep appellate experience with a focus on energy law and environmental litigation, James advises on:

• Appellate matters, including trial support and critical motions practice
• Energy regulatory matters
• CERCLA contribution litigation

Never settling for legalese where plain English will do, James drives home the points that matter most to clients. With court submissions now routinely reported in the media, clients appreciate that James' writing sends a clear message to courts and the public alike. James also excels at interpreting statutes and relevant legal decisions in ways courts have not considered.

James chairs the firm's Appellate Practice Group.

Bar Admissions

• Wisconsin

Education

• Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, Certificate, Quarles & Brady Leadership Program (2025)

• Harvard Law School (J.D., 2012)

• Harvard University (A.B., summa cum laude, 2009)
  • Phi Beta Kappa Society 
  • Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize (Outstanding Scholarly Work or Research)

• "Avoiding and Defending Class Actions Part One: Business Claims"
• "But No One Argued That: Sua Sponte Decisions on Appeal"
• "But No One Argued That: Sua Sponte Decisions on Appeal"
• "Championship Litigation: Procedural Three-Pointers"
• "Returning the 'Civil' to Civil Litigation: Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Opposing Counsel in Discovery and Deposition"
• "Speakers from Practice: Appellate Advocacy"
• "The Ultimate Sanction: State High Court Affirms Liability Judgment for 'Egregious' Discovery Violations"
• Federal District Courts that Stay Proceedings and Compel Arbitration Retain Jurisdiction to Confirm or Vacate the Resulting Arbitral Award
• Near-Absolute Choice of Forum: Supreme Court Further Strengthens Forum Selection Clauses
• Oral Argument in Callais Signals Uncertainty for the Future of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
• Oral Arguments Heard in Trump v. Learning Resources as Justices Question Scope of President's Tariff Powers
• Oral Arguments Heard in Supreme Court Case on NJ Transit's Claim of Sovereign Immunity
• Oral Arguments in Urias-Orellana v. Bondi Raise Key Questions about how Federal Courts Interpret Asylum Protections
• Oral Arguments in FS Credit Opportunities Corp. v. Saba Capital Reveal Close Questions on ICA Rescission Claims
• Oral Arguments in Tariff Challenge: Supreme Court Finds No Authority Under IEEPA
• Oral Arguments Point to Upholding Limits on Transgender Participation in Women's Sports
• Quarles & Brady 2019 Appellate Year in Review
• Quarles & Brady Appellate Year in Review - 2018
• Recovery Guarantied? WI Supreme Court Clarifies Guarantor Credits in Mortgage Foreclosures
• SCOTUS Unanimously Limits Scope of NEPA in Major Infrastructure Ruling
• Supreme Court Clarifies Standard of Review for Asylum Persecution Determinations
• Supreme Court Hears Cox v. Sony in a Battle Over ISP Responsibility for Copyright Abuse
• Supreme Court Limits Voting Rights Act, Strikes Down Louisiana Congressional Map, and Signals Ongoing Skepticism of Race-Conscious State Action
• Supreme Court Reverses Billion-Dollar Copyright Verdict, Holds Internet Service Provider Is Not Contributorily Liable for Subscribers' Infringement
• Supreme Court Rules Negligent-Hiring Claims Against Transportation Brokers in Interstate Commerce Are Not Preempted by the FAAAA
• Supreme Court Rules New Jersey Transit Is Not Entitled to Sovereign Immunity
• Supreme Court Rules That "Transportation Worker" Exemption from Federal Arbitration Act Can, at Least Sometimes, Apply to Workers Who Do Not Cross State Lines and Do Not Interact with Vehicles That Do
• The Demise of Chevron: End of an Era or More of the Same?

Seminar

• Annual National Quarles & Brady Legal Ethics Seminar
• Annual National Quarles & Brady Legal Ethics Seminar Replay
• Annual National Quarles & Brady Legal Ethics Seminar Replay
• Annual National Quarles & Brady Legal Ethics Seminar Replay
• Quarles' Annual Legal Ethics Seminar (2022 Program Replay)