James P. Gallenbeck
Of Counsel
Education
Mississippi College of Law, J.D., 2018
Magna Cum Laude
The College of William and Mary, B.S. Government, 1993
Admissions
District of Columbia
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
James P. Gallenbeck is an seasoned litigation attorney with experience in all phases of civil litigation.
Mr. Gallenbeck has litigated actions brought under Title VII, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, IDEA, 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and state law, against private and public entities. He as advised public educational entities on range of issues, focusing on compliance with complex, layered regulatory schemes and students' rights issues. His accomplishments include numerous favorable rulings for clients on dispositive motions in early stages of litigation, formulating college campus freedom of expression policy challenged as unduly restrictive under First Amendment later upheld as constitutional by appellate court, and negotiating favorable outcomes for clients.
Mr. Gallenbeck also has substantial experience with electronic discovery issues.
Prior Experience
Prior to Dowd Scheffel, Mr. Gallenbeck was an attorney at the leading law firms of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, LLP; Declues, Burkett & Thompson, LLP; and Adams and Reese.
Education
Mr. Gallenbeck attended the Mississippi College School of Law and received his J.D. magna cum laude. He was a member of the Law Review and a Member of Charles Clark American Inn of Court. He earned American Jurisprudence Awards for best paper in Contracts and Conflict of Laws. He was awarded a full-tuition scholarship renewed annually on the basis of continued academic achievement.
Mr. Gallenbeck is a graduate of The College of William and Mary.
Representative Cases
Alexander v. The Brookhaven School District, No. 10-60792 (5th Cir. June 8, 2011). Obtained favorable dispositive rulings on qualified immunity and summary judgment motions in Title VII lawsuit brought by school administrator subsequently affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Smith County School District v. Chisholm, No. 2010-M-00837-SCT (May 21, 2010). Obtained same-day ruling from Mississippi Supreme Court, via expedited emergency petition for relief, that reversed a lower court injunction requiring high school to allow student to participate in graduation ceremonies despite student's failure to meet state board of education's requirements, prompting state superintendent of education to publicly recognize firm's role as a significant contribution on a matter of statewide importance.
Blackstone v. Wexford Sources, Inc., No. 08-60855 (5th Cir. Nov. 16, 2009)).
Argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in support of an order granting summary judgment in a Title VII case involving novel issue.