Attorneys

James B. TaylorAssociate

JAMES B. TAYLOR is an associate in the Atlanta office of Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP.  James received his degree in Technical Writing from the University of Tennessee in 2001.  James received his J.D. from the University of Tennessee School of Law in May, 2004, Magna Cum Laude.

During his undergraduate studies, James's coursework included a partnership with the College of Engineering whereby James received the hands-on experience of technical writing and editing for actual civil engineering, nuclear engineering, biotechnology, and nanotechnology research projects and proposals.  In this process, James worked with nationally recognized engineers and scientists in the Oak Ridge Nuclear Plant and elsewhere.

While attending law school, James was awarded with the honor of serving as the Robert L. Cheek Memorial Scholar, the George Child, Sr. & Helen Child Scholar, and, in his final year, the College of Law Scholar .  James also worked as research assistant to Professor Carl Pierce, a recognized authority in both the fields of ethics and business law, in the effort to submit proposed revisions to the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct as part of the ABA 's Ethics 2000 project.  James also actively pursued areas of study in business, tax, insurance, and employment law during his legal education, while earning Certificates of Excellence in the areas of Contracts, Worker's Compensation, Civil Procedure, Labor Law, and Advanced Constitutional Law.

In addition to his studies, James was also a member and student editor of the Tennessee Law Review, where he participated in proofing and editing scholarly articles on various areas of the law.

Since joining Smith, Currie & Hancock, James has been active in both the firm's construction law and labor and employment law practice groups. He has had experience in disputes involving construction defects, payment disputes, liens, arbitration, facility management, employment discrimination, prevailing wages, union organization, and employee benefit plans.

Articles & Publications

• "Cutting the Knot on Concurrent Delay," Construction Briefings, Thomson West, February 2008.
• "Termination for Convenience Clauses - Federal and State Law Consideration," 500 Common Sense Contracting, Vol. 19, No. 1, co-author with Thomas J. Kelleher, Jr.
• "Davis-Bacon Act Disputes: The Importance of Documentation," 496 Common Sense Contracting, Vol. 19, No.1
• "Float Time - Defining the Term," 491 Common Sense Contracting, Vol. 18, No. 4
• "Determining the Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage," 482 Common Sense Contracting, Vol. 18, No. 3

Classes & Seminars Taught

• Overview of Sarbanes-Oxley; Introduction to Labor Law in the Construction Context; Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Construction Context