DUMAS & KIM, APC
James Dumas
Practice Areas
Bankruptcy & Insolvency
Commercial Litigation
Debt Collection
Mediation Services
EDUCATION
University of Southern California
Juris Doctor, 1977
Southern California Law Review
University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Arts, 1973
Philosophy and Pre-Medical Studies
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Former Bankruptcy Trustee
Central District of California
1987–2001
Former Associate
Morrison & Foerster
Law Clerk to Judge Jesse W. Curtis
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
1977–1978
COURT & APPELLATE EXPERIENCE
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel
California Court of Appeal
Federal Judicial Districts of California
Additional federal district and bankruptcy court appearances pro hac vice
LANGUAGES
English
French
German
James Dumas is the founder of Dumas & Kim, APC and has more than four decades of experience in bankruptcy, insolvency, and complex commercial litigation.
Mr. Dumas has represented bankruptcy trustees, creditors, debtors, businesses, and individuals in matters involving bankruptcy proceedings, fraudulent transfers, commercial disputes, and complex litigation. His experience extends across state and federal courts, bankruptcy courts, appellate proceedings, and domestic and international arbitration.
Mr. Dumas graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Pre-Medical Studies, after also studying at universities in Göttingen, Germany, and Tel Aviv, Israel.
He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California in 1977, where he was a member of the Southern California Law Review. During law school, he clerked for prominent personal injury attorney David Harney.
Following law school, Mr. Dumas served as a law clerk to Judge Jesse W. Curtis of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California from 1977 to 1978. He subsequently practiced as an associate at Morrison & Foerster before establishing Dumas & Associates in 1981.
From 1987 through 2001, Mr. Dumas served as a Bankruptcy Trustee in the Central District of California. In addition to his own service as a trustee, he has represented numerous members of the Central District bankruptcy trustee panel.
Mr. Dumas has jury trial experience and has practiced in all four federal judicial districts in California. His appellate experience includes arguments before the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the California Court of Appeal.
He has also appeared pro hac vice in federal district and bankruptcy courts in Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, New York, Alabama, Georgia, and New Jersey. His experience includes appearances before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C., as well as international arbitration proceedings in London.
Mr. Dumas is fluent in French and German.
Chapter 7 Trustee Representation
Served as counsel to a Chapter 7 trustee in In re Charter Hendrix LLP, obtaining a $36 million litigation recovery for the bankruptcy estate. The matter had originally been filed as a no-asset case with approximately $800,000 in identified creditor claims and ultimately resulted in approximately $17 million being distributed to creditors.
Fraudulent Transfer Litigation
Served as counsel to a Chapter 7 trustee in In re Southwest Leasing, Inc., obtaining a $6 million fraudulent transfer recovery. The case had originally been filed as a no-asset case with approximately $600,000 in identified creditor claims, and the recovered funds were distributed to creditors.
Complex Multi-Jurisdictional Litigation
Represented a client in highly complex litigation spanning multiple years, numerous proceedings, and courts in several states. The representation included successfully defeating a contested involuntary bankruptcy petition and obtaining a multimillion-dollar recovery for the client. In re Ami Shafrir.