James T. Barnish

Jim is a partner in the Vorys Houston office and a member of the litigation group.  His practice is focused on litigation in the construction, utility, and oil and gas industries.  Jim regularly represents general contractors and subcontractors in disputes over performance and payment, and advises construction clients about their indemnity and insurance coverage obligations.  He also has extensive experience representing clients in large-scale construction and infrastructure projects, including EPC contracts, terminal expansions and industrial facility developments.

Jim also represents companies in complex commercial cases involving contract disputes and tort claims.  He has also represented employers in disputes involving noncompetition agreements, non-solicit agreements, theft of trade secrets/confidential information, discrimination claims and class actions.

Complex Construction Disputes

• Successfully represented an EPC contractor in a three-week AAA arbitration over a complex greenfield industrial project, with more than $90 million in claims and counterclaims.  Achieved a significant net award for the client, including full recovery of all attorneys’ fees requested.
• Represented a contractor on a terminal expansion in Houston, securing millions of dollars for contract balance and disputed change orders.
• Successfully represented a general contractor underpaid by more than $15 million on a turnaround project.
• Successfully defended an electrical transmission line contractor in a mass tort and indemnity action involving more than $2 billion in damage claims caused by several wildfires.
• Represented an industrial contractor in the construction of a Boron mining facility in California, recovering millions of dollars for the client.

General Construction Litigation

• Routinely represents general contractors and subcontractors in arbitration and litigation, successfully recovering millions of dollars for unpaid invoices and disputed change orders.
• Advises owners, general contractors and subcontractors of lien obligations and rights under the Texas Property Code.
• Successfully resolved multimillion-dollar claim for a nationwide construction services company in a dispute with a subcontractor over an alleged breach of a lump sum construction contract.
• Represented a pipeline construction company in a payment dispute, resulting in millions of dollars in recovery for the client.
• Secured a favorable outcome for a subcontractor owed more than $2 million on an oil and gas project after the general contractor’s bankruptcy.

Commercial Disputes

• Advises companies on complex contractual indemnity and insurance obligations.
• Obtained summary judgment for an employee uniform manufacturer in a $20 million misappropriation/infringement claim related to redesigned airline uniforms.
• Defended an international oil and gas exploration and production company against claims of breach of operating agreements and leases stemming from an environmental legacy litigation lawsuit.
• Successfully obtained an injunction for two members of a nonprofit, overturning actions that violated the organization’s bylaws. 
• Secured pre-judgment recovery of valuable equipment using the Texas writ of sequestration process in disputed ownership case

Employment and Trade Secrets Litigation

• Obtained temporary injunctions against former employees involving noncompetition/ non-solicitation agreements and theft of trade secrets, and successfully recovered stolen confidential information.
• Obtained summary judgment and defeated class certification for an employer on claims that its hiring practices violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• Obtained summary judgments for employers accused of age, race and sex discrimination and retaliation.

Jim received his J.D. summa cum laude from South Texas College of Law, where he was active in the Advocacy Program and a member of the South Texas Law Review.  He received his B.A. from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Litigation – Construction, 2023-2025

Texas Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2025

Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2020

Professional & Community Activities

Houston Bar Association, Construction Section

State Bar of Texas, Member