James P. Faunes

Most recently, he won a multimillion-dollar settlement as lead counsel for a child who suffered permanent hearing loss due to delayed delivery. Faunes demonstrated in the 2023 case that the obstetric team managing the labor deviated from its own plan by failing to order a c-section when the fetal heart rate showed signs of compromised oxygen status. Faunes has secured numerous verdicts and settlements of at least $1 million as co-lead counsel. They include a $30 million settlement for the failure to diagnose a stroke; a $10 million settlement in a case involving cerebral palsy; and multimillion-dollar recoveries in malpractice cases involving meningitis, atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Though he focuses his practice in these areas of law, Faunes has a diverse skill set and a broad range of legal experience. He has handled cases relating to bad faith, breach of contract, negligent security, dram shop, and civil rights. Most recently, his briefing and argument resulted in Pennsylvanias first-ever application of the State-Created Danger theory of civil rights liability in the context of confidential informants. In that case, Faunes overcame and contributed to the scholarship around Qualified Immunity. Prior to joining Ross Feller Casey, Faunes was a partner at Feldman Shepherd in Philadelphia. Before representing plaintiffs, he honed his trial and litigation skills as a Deputy City Solicitor in the Philadelphia Law Department, defending city agencies and employees from 2013 to 2016. Faunes is widely recognized in the Philadelphia legal community for his acumen as a litigator and his initiative as a leader. He serves as an adjunct professor teaching advanced trial advocacy at the Temple University Beasley School of Law, and is among the youngest attorneys ever appointed Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Associations Judicial Commission in its 50-year history. He also sits on the Board of Governors for both the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Justice. Faunes is a former President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania. Faunes is also deeply committed to community service. He sits on the Board of Directors for Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance in Philadelphia. He volunteers his time at a number of nonprofit organizations, including Philadelphia VIP, the Homeless Advocacy Project, Chester Upland Youth Soccer, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Faunes earned his law degree from the Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he was a Staff Editor on the Temple Law Review and earned Outstanding Oral Advocate honors for his work in Temples lauded Trial Advocacy Program. Faunes received his undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College, where he studied History with a focus on labor relations in the United States. Faunes is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.