James Graber
Partner
Buffalo
Practice Areas
Intellectual Property Litigation - Practice Area Leader
Business Litigation
Property Insurance Litigation
about me
credentials & achievements
professional Focus
affiliations
significant matters
media
insights
About Me
"Winning takes precedence over all. There's no gray area. No almosts." It's these words — Kobe's words — that drive Jim Graber.
Jim began his career litigating contested homeowners' insurance claims, including those involving arson, fraud, and disputes over insurance payout. Through the years, over the course of hundreds of depositions and motions, his practice evolved to include nearly all types of civil lawsuits. Jim represents clients in both state and federal court across a diverse range of matters, including business disputes, product liability, MCA loans, and patent and copyright infringement.
Outside the office, Jim is passionate about the local community. He has spent 10 years serving as an attorney advisor for New York's statewide high school mock trial tournament and serves as Commissioner of Western New York's 16-team Lawyers' Softball League. Jim also oversees the firm's Summer Associate Program, through which the firm hires between five to seven law students every year and trains them to become full-fledged attorneys.
Credentials & Achievements
Education:
Albany Law School, J.D., cum laude
University at Buffalo, B.S., cum laude – NCAA Division I Track and Field, Former School Record 4×100
Admissions:
New York
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
United States District Court for the Western District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Achievements:
The Best Lawyers in America®, 2025-2026
40 Under 40, 2024 Class, Business First
Upstate New York Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2016-2023
30 Under 30, 2016 Class, Business First
Professional Focus
Capabilities:
Affiliations
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Buffalo Claims Association
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Erie County Bar Association
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Nichols School Mock Trial Team, Attorney Advisor
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The Lawyers’ Softball League, Inc., Commissioner
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The Sled Hockey Foundation, Inc., Former Board Member
Significant Matters
- Served as trial counsel in a Niagara Falls jury trial spanning three weeks in New York Supreme Court involving an alleged arson and fraud scheme centered on an explosion that destroyed multiple properties, securing a complete defense verdict and an award of attorneys’ fees.
- Represented a global consumer products company in patent litigation against numerous Chinese defendants involving the coordinated sale of counterfeit and infringing products on e-commerce platforms including Temu and SHEIN, securing a preliminary injunction prohibiting further sales of infringing products and freezing defendants’ assets.
- Represented a former NFL player in federal litigation against ESPN involving copyright infringement arising from the unauthorized use of a viral pregame video in a Monday Night Football promotion, resulting in a favorable settlement.
- Served as trial counsel for a not-for-profit insurance reciprocal in a New York state court jury trial involving a $10+ million claim from a municipality arising from alleged hailstorm damage, achieving a favorable mid-trial resolution.
- Counseled next-generation family members in a New York state court dispute over control and governance of a $20 million private foundation, involving competing claims of fiduciary authority among trustees and beneficiaries, successfully defending against removal by preliminary injunction.
- Represented a leading regional RV dealer in federal consumer and commercial litigation involving six-figure claims and punitive damages arising from a vehicle transaction, securing dismissal of all claims by court order.
- Represented merchants and borrowers in more than 500 matters in New York state courts involving disputes with merchant cash advance providers and healthcare lenders, including Bankers Healthcare Group, addressing claims of usury, contract enforceability, and regulatory issues.
