James M. Weiss

Overview

Jamie Weiss is a partner in the litigation group at Ellis & Winters. His diverse litigation practice includes product liability defense primarily involving fires and water losses, complex commercial matters with a focus on trade secrets and employee mobility, as well as the litigation of land use and zoning matters. Jamie has been practicing at Ellis & Winters for over 15 years after starting his legal career at an AMLaw 100 firm in St. Louis where he defended consumer class actions in federal courts across the country and litigated dozens of cases involving the origination of fraudulent residential mortgages.

Jamie prides himself on his responsiveness and ability to explain the litigation process to clients that range from Fortune 500 companies to individuals unfamiliar with the litigation process. He engages clients in-depth from the beginning to understand their market, goals, and limitations. He boils down complex legal issues into succinct, coherent, and easily understandable terms to guide clients through the litigation process in a transparent manner. Jamie takes great pleasure in navigating clients through unfamiliar territory, from guiding them through their first deposition to explaining litigation tactics and strategy.

Over the years, Jamie has resolved cases in a variety of ways, ranging from negotiated pre-trial settlements through aggressive trial litigation. He is able to “see the forest for the trees,” and anticipate later conflicts and the likelihood of success in resolving those conflicts. This predictive capability enables Jamie and his clients to pursue alternative solutions early, promoting efficient, cost-effective legal representation.

Fundamentally, Jamie’s approach is about empowering the client to make decisions. He does not push a client towards a particular solution if it is not aligned with their goals and preferences. If a client wants to fight a case, Jamie will diligently advocate on their behalf and provide the tools to help clients make an informed decision.

Jamie is a multi-faceted litigator who is often described as knowledgeable, calm, and attentive to his clients’ concerns. Jamie won the 1990 Jeopardy! Teen Tournament Championship, a sign of his ability to retain and recall a great deal of information, a powerful skill in complex litigation practice. Jamie’s sense of calm helps in representing first-time litigants, creating a relaxed atmosphere in an otherwise stressful situation. He tries to tell clients what they need to hear before they even ask, and when they do ask, he responds to their inquiries as quickly as possible under the circumstances.

Jamie also believes in the importance of pro bono work, having formerly chaired the firm’s pro bono practice. Early in his career, he represented the Anti-Defamation League as amicus curiae in a landmark case before the Missouri Supreme Court, winning reversal in a case involving anti-Semitic juror misconduct, and has represented the guardian ad litem in over a dozen appeals of cases involving juvenile abuse and neglect before North Carolina’s appellate courts.

Within the legal community, Jamie has been involved in leadership with DRI for many years. He also served on the Town of Cary Zoning Board of Adjustment for almost a decade, including the final two years as chair.

Jamie received his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, where he was Order of the Coif and an Executive Articles Editor of the Washington University Law Review. Before entering law school, Jamie was the operations manager of a temporary staffing company operating in Virginia and North Carolina.  

In his spare time, like many lawyers, Jamie is working on his first novel, while avidly following sports ranging from the Washington Capitals to all things UVA to Chelsea in England’s Premier League. He and his family also embrace travel and over the years have visited locations as diverse as Birmingham (England, not Alabama), Brussels, Copenhagen, Dawson City in the Yukon (where he joined the Sourtoe Cocktail Club), Lisbon, the three national parks in Washington, and Winnipeg. In 2026, Jamie has plans to visit New Mexico, which will mark his 50th state visited, as well as Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories.

Jamie and his wife Amanda live in Cary while their two sons, Brennan and Logan, attend college nearby at other ACC schools.