James

M. Bettis, Jr.

Shareholder
700 Milam Street, Suite 800
Houston, TX 77002-2806

Overview

Jim maintains an active complex commercial litigation practice with an emphasis on contract disputes, personal injury defense and insurance coverage matters. As a seasoned trial attorney with a broad range of experience, his practice focuses on defending companies active in the oil and gas, refinery, construction, petrochemical and pipeline industries.

Jim regularly represents some of the world’s leading energy infrastructure and petrochemical companies, including Kinder Morgan and Chevron Phillips Chemical, in complex contract disputes and personal injury claims. His long-standing relationships with these companies is attributed to his ability to build lasting partnerships with his clients. This allows him to become entrenched in their day-to-day business activities and goals, which in turn better positions him when it comes time to defend clients in the courtroom.

In addition to Jim’s extensive commercial litigation practice, he also represents a broad range of policy holders, from family-owned businesses and individuals to international corporations, in insurance issues related to coverage disputes, bad faith cases, disputes involving the Texas Insurance Code and claims for failing to settle within policy limits.

Jim’s complex commercial litigation practice, combined with his insurance experience, enables him to successfully represent clients in multi-million dollar cases, with favorable and prompt results. Over the course of his nearly 30-year career, Jim has earned the respect of his peers, and he is called upon to serve as an expert, a mediator or arbitrator.

Education

Admissions

Achievements

  • Thomson Reuters – Texas Super Lawyers (2012, 2017-2020)
  • Woodward/White, Inc. – Best Lawyers in America, Insurance Law (2021-2024)
  • Memberships

    • Houston Bar Association
    • State Bar of Texas

Overview

Jim maintains an active complex commercial litigation practice with an emphasis on contract disputes, personal injury defense and insurance coverage matters. As a seasoned trial attorney with a broad range of experience, his practice focuses on defending companies active in the oil and gas, refinery, construction, petrochemical and pipeline industries.

Jim regularly represents some of the world’s leading energy infrastructure and petrochemical companies, including Kinder Morgan and Chevron Phillips Chemical, in complex contract disputes and personal injury claims. His long-standing relationships with these companies is attributed to his ability to build lasting partnerships with his clients. This allows him to become entrenched in their day-to-day business activities and goals, which in turn better positions him when it comes time to defend clients in the courtroom.

In addition to Jim’s extensive commercial litigation practice, he also represents a broad range of policy holders, from family-owned businesses and individuals to international corporations, in insurance issues related to coverage disputes, bad faith cases, disputes involving the Texas Insurance Code and claims for failing to settle within policy limits.

Jim’s complex commercial litigation practice, combined with his insurance experience, enables him to successfully represent clients in multi-million dollar cases, with favorable and prompt results. Over the course of his nearly 30-year career, Jim has earned the respect of his peers, and he is called upon to serve as an expert, a mediator or arbitrator.

Experience

  • Insurance Dispute

    Represented the owner of a bucket truck company that services power lines in an insurance coverage dispute. The plaintiff was severely injured on the job and initially the

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  • Insurance Dispute

    Represented a manufacturer of drilling systems for the oil and gas industry who was sued by hundreds of plaintiffs and dozens of defendants for exposure to naturally

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  • Insurance Dispute

    Successfully obtained a very favorable settlement for a well drilling contractor seeking “loss of use” coverage after one of its drilling rigs was damaged in a flood. This

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