James F. Wyatt III

James F. Wyatt, III is recognized as one of North Carolinas leading trial lawyers. He is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the Best Lawyers in America, has a Band 1 Ranking with Chambers and Partners, and has been named on numerous occasions as the best white collar defense and civil trial lawyer in both Charlotte and the State of North Carolina.

James attended Vanderbilt University, graduating in 1978 with summa cum laude honors. He graduated from Duke Law School in 1982, after being the Executive Editor of the Duke Law Journal and a member of the Moot Court Board. After graduating from Duke Law School, he clerked for United States District Court Judge Harold L. Murphy in the Northern District of Georgia. He then worked for three years with Bobby Lee Cook, Sr. of Summerville, Georgia. Mr. Cook is the real life lawyer who the television show Matlock is loosely patterned after. When working with Mr. Cook, James tried over 30 cases to verdict, ranging from a RICO trial to diverse federal and state cases, both civil and criminal. James opened his law practice in Charlotte in 1986, and has engaged in the trial of hundreds of criminal and civil cases since then, now specializing in white collar defense, whistleblower cases and class action cases.

In 1991, at the age of 33, James was asked to present the topic of closing arguments at the North Carolina Criminal Defense All Star Seminar. In 1991, he also received an AV Martindale Hubbell rating and was listed in Martindale Hubbells Register of Pre-Eminent Civil and Criminal Trial Lawyers. In 1992, he was named one of six top young attorneys in Charlotte. In 1994, he was listed in Best Lawyers in America. In 2005, James was selected by Business North Carolina as the best criminal defense lawyer in North Carolina. In, 2019, James was selected by Best Lawyers as the Charlotte Criminal Defense White Collar Lawyer of the Year.

Currently, James is listed in Best Lawyers in America in four separate categories: Bet-The-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Non-White Collar Criminal Defense and White Collar Criminal Defense. He is also a Member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an organization devoted to recognizing outstanding civil and criminal trial lawyers (with fewer than 1% of the lawyers in the United States and Canada becoming members of this organization after a thorough vetting process). Additionally, James was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, whose membership is limited to 500 fellows from the United States who have achieved a career of excellence through demonstrated skill and ability in jury trials.

In addition to his representation of individuals and businesses in white collar and criminal defense matters, James has represented numerous parties in both class action litigation and qui tam lawsuits over the past 20 years. In qui tam litigation, James has represented physicians, medical billing and coding personnel and other employees of medical practices in qui tam whistleblower lawsuits filed under the federal False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Federal Physician Self-Referral Statute (or Stark Law), and the NC False Claims Act. These cases have included issues of false and fraudulent billing of Medicaid and Medicare services, upcoding, improper referrals and illegal kickbacks. He has been co-counsel for plaintiffs in two recent qui tam settlements of over $100,000,000 each, and a recent class action settlement exceeding $1,000,000,000.

James recently presented a seminar to counsel throughout the State of North Carolina concerning the North Carolina False Claims Act. A copy of the PowerPoint seminar presentation can be accessed here. In addition, James recently co-authored two publications concerning the North Carolina False Claims Act, including a comparison of this statute with the federal False Claims Act . These articles can be accessed here.

Email: jwyatt@wyattlaw.net

Awards/Honors:

Best Lawyers Charlotte Criminal Defense: White-Collar Lawyer of the Year (2019) [awarded to the sole lawyers in a region and practice area who receives the highest feedback from their peers]

No. 2 Ranking in Top 10 Lawyers in North Carolina by Super Lawyers (2018)

International Academy of Trial Lawyers (2017-present)

American College of Trial Lawyers (2008-present)

Band 1 Ranking with Chambers and Partners: Litigation White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations (North Carolina) (2016-present)

Top 10 Lawyers in North Carolina by Super Lawyers (2017)

The Best Lawyers in America (1994-present)

Listed in Martindale-Hubbells Bar Register of Preeminent Civil and Criminal Trial Attorneys (1991-present)

Business North Carolina Listed as North Carolinas Best Criminal Defense Lawyer in article entitled Legal Elite Up On The Law (2005)

Best Lawyers Charlotte Criminal Defense: White-Collar Lawyer of the Year (2011)

Best Lawyers: Banking and Finance Lawyer of the Year (2014)

Best Lawyers Charlotte Criminal Defense: Non-White Collar Lawyer of the Year (2013-2014)

Listed by Corporate Counsel as one of the Top Lawyers in Bet the Company Litigation (2008-present)

National Association of Distinguished Counsel Nations Top One Percent (2015-present)

The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyers (2016-present)

The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers (2013-present)

Listed by Charlotte Magazine as one of North Carolinas Superlawyers (2005-present)

Business North Carolina Listed as one of North Carolinas best lawyers in article entitled Legal Elite (2004)

Listed in Whos Who in America and Whos Who in American Lawyers

Listed by Charlotte Magazine as one of Charlottes best lawyers in article entitled These Are The Citys Best Lawyers (1999)

One of six lawyers profiled in an article published by The Business Journal in Charlotte entitled The Verdict Is In: Charlottes Top Young Attorneys (May 1992)

Legal Community/Activities:

Chairman and Member of Board of Directors of Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina, Inc. (2004-2015)

Member of the Fourth Circuit CJA Appellate Panel Committee, appointed by the Fourth Circuit Court Judges (2007-2012)

Trustee McKnight Education Trust Foundation

Board of Governors, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers (1997-2000)

Chairman and Member, Federal Bar Advisory Council (1996-2001)

Criminal Law Section of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers (President 1994-1995, Vice President 1993-1994, Secretary 1992-1993, Chairman/Lawyers Assistance Committee 1991-1992, )

Board of Directors, Davidson Habitat for Humanity (1991-1995)

Organized the Mecklenburg County Bars Habitat for Humanity Project (first Habitat House built solely by a bar association in the nation) (1991)

Speakers Counsel, Charlotte Habitat for Humanity

Education: Duke University (J.D., 1982); Vanderbilt University (B.S., Salutatorian, summa cum laude, 1978)

Admitted: 1986, U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina and U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit; 1982, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia and U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit