Managing Partner

James W. Christian (Wes)

Tel: 713.659.7617
Email: JChristian@christianattarlaw.com
Vcard: Download V-Card

Wes is managing partner of Christian Attar. He is a fourth generation Texan and has practiced law in Texas for over 40 years.

Wes has decades of experience handling a wide range of complex civil litigation matters. His primary focus in the last several years has been suing Wall Street for stock manipulation, oil and gas companies for royalty fraud, and banks for aiding and abetting Ponzi schemes. He has also handled many disputes involving breach of contract, fraud, intellectual property, breach of fiduciary duty, serious personal injuries or wrongful death actions, insurance defense, and real estate matters. Wes is proud to represent his clients, including numerous public companies, businesses, and individuals, against large adversaries.

Wes has handled complex litigation in at least eight different states and two countries. Most of these cases have been in State or Federal Courts; some have been complex arbitrations. He is licensed to practice in 14 Courts across the U.S. and everywhere in Texas and New York.

Wes was honored to serve as the Chair of the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas from 2018-2019 overseeing a group of 8,700 litigation in Texas.

Wes dedicates much of his free time giving back to his community and church.

PROFESSIONAL DETAILS

  • Keller High School, 1971
  • Bachelor of Science, West Texas State A&M University, 1975
  • Doctor of Jurisprudence, South Texas College of Law, 1978
  • 1978 – 1979  Associate, Morris McCann
  • 1978 – 1988  Partner, Margraves Kennerly & Schueler
  • 1988 – Present  Managing Partner, Christian Smith & Jewell/James W. Christian, P.C.
  • United States Court of Appeals
  • United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals
  • Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • United States Court of Claims
  • United States Tax Court
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Western District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Western District of Colorado
  • United States District Court, Delaware
  • United States Bankruptcy Court, Delaware
  • United States District Court, Southern District of New York
  • State Bar of Texas, 1978 – Present
  • State Bar of New York, 2005 – Present
  • American Association for Justice, 2003 – Present
  • American Bar Association, 1978 – Present
  • Houston Bar Association, 1978 – Present
  • Member of Advanced Evidence & Discovery Committee – State Bar of Texas, 2006 – Present
  • Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation
  • Member of the Litigation Council (State Bar of Texas), 2006 – Present
  • Energy Institute – Speaker, 2006
  • Advanced Evidence & Discovery Committee – Member/Speaker, 2006 – Present
  • “Who We Are As Lawyers” – Speaker, 2006 – Present
  • Jury Awareness Committee, State Bar of Texas, 2006 – 2007
  • Texas Legends Committee – Chairman, 2006 – 2010
  • Texas Legends Committee – Co-Chairman, 2011 – 2014
  • Annual Meeting, State Bar of Texas – Co-Chairman, 2011 – 2012
  • Frequent speaker at SMU, South Texas College of Law, Texas Weslyan Law School and others on Role of a Lawyer in Our Society, 2007 – Present)
  • Elected Secretary of Litigation Council of the State Bar of Texas, 2015 – 2016

Articles & appearances

Publications, Speeches & Law Review Articles

  • Amarillo Bar Association, Amarillo, Texas; (April 28, 2016):  Preparing, Presenting and Cross-Examination of Experts.
  • University of Houston, Houston, Texas; (February 9, 2016): Importance of Lawyers in Society.
  • State Bar of Texas Legends Committee, Houston, Texas; (November, 2015): Induction of Judge Ruby Kless Sondock as a Texas Legal Legend.
  • State Bar of Texas Legends Committee, Lubbock, Texas; (September 11, 2015): Induction of Mary Lou Robinson as a Texas Legend.
  • 31st Annual Litigation Update Institute, San Antonio, Texas; (January 15-16, 2015): Topic – “How to Effectively Use Expert Witnesses.”
  • State Bar of Texas Legends Committee, Waco, Texas; (November, 2014): Induction of George Chandler as a Texas Legal Legend.
  • State Bar of Texas Legends Committee, Austin, Texas; (June, 2014): Induction of Bob Black as a Texas Legal Legend.
  • State Bar of Texas Legends Committee, Lubbock, Texas; (April, 2014): Induction of Forrest Bowers as a Texas Legal Legend.
  • Litigation Update, Austin, Texas; (January, 2014): Topic – “15 Keys to Winning a Jury Trial”
  • State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas; (June, 2013): Induction of Honorable Royal Furguson and Francis Scott Baldwin Sr.
  • Litigation Update, Austin, Texas; (January, 2013): Topic – “Becoming a Texas Legal Legend.”
  • Litigation Update, Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas (January 19-20, 2012): Topic – “Who We Are As Lawyers.”
  • 2009 Advanced Evidence and Discovery, Houston Texas:  Topic – “Musical Chairs: Apportioning Responsibility.”
  • Advanced Evidence and Discovery, Houston, Texas; San Antonio, Texas (May 22-23, 2008):   Topic – “Expert Witnesses.”
  • Advanced Evidence and Discovery, Houston, Texas (April 19-20, 2007); Dallas, Texas (May 3-4, 2007); San Antonio, Texas (May 17-18, 2007):  Topic – “Daubert Challenges.”
  • Committee Member Jury Awareness State Bar of Texas, Houston, Texas, 2006-2007  Topic – “The Importance of Our Great American Jury System”
  • University of Houston Law Review; Spring, 2007; Naked Short Selling: How Exposed are Investors
  • Advanced Evidence and Discovery, Houston, Texas (April 19-20, 2006); Dallas, Texas (May 3-4, 2006); San Antonio, Texas (May 17-18, 2006):   Topic – “Internet Discovery and how to use it.”
  • Advanced Evidence and Discovery, Houston, Texas (April 26-27, 2006); Dallas, Texas (May 11-12, 2006); San Antonio, Texas (May 25-26, 2006):   Topic – “Extra-Jurisdictional Domestic and International Civil Litigation: A Guide for Practitioners”
  • Energy Institute Seminar, Houston, Texas – February 16-17, 2006:   Topic- “Alien Tort Claims and Other Ways to Obtain Jurisdiction Over Foreign Corporations Affiliated with U.S. Corporations”

Firm News & Articles

  • Jennifer Hiller, Suits on Royalties Emerging in Shale, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, Mar. 14, 2016
  • Liz Moyer, Signature Bank is Sued Over Ties to Ponzi Scheme, NEW YORK TIMES, Feb. 24, 2016
  • Insolvency, Regulatory, The Enablers of the Fraudsters, Part 1, ALLABOUTALPHA, Sept. 1, 2015
  • Helen Avery, JPMorgan’s Trading Loss Proves Volcker Rule Won’t Work, EUROMONEY, May 24, 2012
  • Joe Meyers, “Naked Short Selling” Probed in New Documentary, THE NEWS-TIMES, Apr. 12, 2012
  • BofA, Goldman, Others Settle Taser Short Selling Suit, LAW 360, Jun 20, 2011
  • Helen Avery, Banking: Litigation Could Seriously Damage Banks’ Health, EUROMONEY, Apr. 15, 2011
  • Christopher Faille, But What if Compliance Officers Do Their Jobs, HEDWORLD.com, Apr. 15, 2011
  • Michelle Massey, Marshall Lawyer Sue Beaumont Accounts After Losing $6M in Market Collapse, THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS RECORD, Oct. 12, 2010
  • Frank Geary, Police Union Paid Top Dollar for New Offices, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, Aug. 2, 2009
  • Christopher Faille, Christian Reflects on Mangan,Gryphon, HEDGEWORLD.com, Jan. 9, 2008
  • John R. Emschwiller and Kara Scannell, Blame the ‘Stock Vault’? Clearinghouse Faulted On Short-Selling Abuse; Finding the Naked Truth, NY SUN, Jul 5, 2007
  • Judith Burns, SEC Economists Reject Claims On ‘Naked’ Short Sales, DOW JONES NEWSWIRES, Apr. 23, 2007
  • CFO Staff, Naked Hunch: Overstock.com kicks its fight against short-sellers up a notch; the PCAOB debates the merits of mandatory fraud audits; state health-care reforms could cause headaches for Corporate America; and more, CFO MAGAZINE, Apr. 01, 2007
  • Christopher Faille, Grassley Touts Regulation on Behalf of ‘Average Joe’, LIPPER HEDGEWORLD, Mar. 08, 2007
  • Danny King and Gary Matsumoto, Overstock.com Sues Brokers for Stock Manipulation, BLOOMBERG, Feb. 2, 2007
  • Liz Moyer, Naked Short Victim Strikes Back, FORBES.com, Feb. 2, 2007
  • Joseph Sternberg, Naked Shorting, NY SUN, Aug 29, 2006
  • Bob Drummond, Games Short Sellers Play, BLOOMBERG, Aug. 16, 2006
  • Judith Burns, Legal Wrangling Continues In Case Vs. Ex-Refco Brokers, DOW JONES NEWSWIRES, Aug. 8, 2006
  • Kara Scannell, ‘Not MY Stock’: The Latest Way to Fight Shorts, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, Aug. 2, 2006
  • Liz Moyer, Hedge Fund Hell, FORBES, Jul 28, 2006
  • The Economist Staff, Betting on losers, THE ECONOMIST, Jun 22nd 2006
  • Joseph Sternberg, Loaded for Bear, NY SUN, May 23, 2006
  • Dan Dorfman, Justice Department Eyes Overstock.com Fight, NY SUN, May 22, 2006
  • Dan Dorfman, Overstock.com May Seek $1 Billion From Rocker Partners, NY SUN, May 12, 2006
  • Todd Mason, SEC wants to know if backers made money by trying to kill it, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Apr. 23, 2006
  • Todd Mason, SEC says brokerages manipulated shares, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Apr. 5, 2006
  • Jane Sassen, The Secret Lives of Short Sellers: the Rise of Hedge Funds and Indie Research Raises New Questions About a Shadowy World, BUSINESS WEEK, Apr. 10, 2006
  • Daniel Kadlec, Watch Out, They Bite!  How Hedge Funds Tied to Embattled Broker Refco Used “Naked Short Selling” to Plunder Small Companies, TIME, Nov. 14, 2005 (SPECIAL ISSUE: INSIDE BUSINESS, December 2005)
  • Helen Avery & Peter Koh, The Curious Incident of the Shares that Didn’t Exist, EUROMONEY, Vol. 36, No. 432, Apr. 2005
  • Helen Avery, SEC Seeks to Curb Naked Ambition, EUROMONEY, Vol. 36, No. 432, Apr. 2005
  • Peter Koh, Stung by the German Connection, EUROMONEY, Vol. 36, No. 432, Apr. 2005
  • Rob Wherry, Wall Street’s Next Nightmare? Flamboyant Litigator John O’Quinn is Gunning for Another Bonanza: The Entire Trading System in Penny Stocks, FORBES, Oct. 13, 2003
  • Edward Robinson, The Outsiders, BLOOMBERG MARKETS, Jul. 2003
  • Matthew McClearn, Predator or Prey?  Amid a Flurry of Lawsuits and Countersuits, the Murky world of Death-spiral Financings-Ones in Which Toronto Financier Mark Valentine Loomed Large-is Coming to Light, CANADIAN BUSINESS, Oct. 28, 2002
  • Brandon Copple, Sinking Fund. Have Financiers Torpedoed Struggling Small Companies They Were Supposedly Helping?  Lawsuits Raise Some Ugly Accusations, FORBES, Jun. 10, 2002

Radio Appearances

  • Tim Connolly’s Winning Strategies – Re: Stock Fraud on Wall Street , April 29, 2011
  • Tim Connolly’s Winning Strategies – Re: Spiraling costs of litigation and how “David can still fight Goliath”, Feb. 11, 2011
  • Tim Connolly’s Winning Strategies – Re: Insider Trading Issues, Dec. 3, 2010
  • Tim Connolly’s Winning Strategies – Re: Mortgage Fraud, Nov. 5, 2010
  • Tim Connolly’s Winning Strategies – Re: FIN REG, July 30, 2010
  • Tim Connolly’s Winning Strategies – Re: Naked Short-Selling, June 3, 2010
  • Tim Connolly’s Winning Strategies – Re: Flash Crash, May 7, 2010

Documentaries

  • Brown Saddle Films, Wall Street Conspiracy
  • Bloomberg T.V. Special, Phantom Shares
  • Sandra Mohr, Mohr Productions – Stock Shock

T.V. Appearances

  • Brown Saddle Films, Wall Street Conspiracy

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