James Ruley

James is a member of WT’s complex commercial litigation and consumer class action defense team. He has experience defending companies against putative class actions and individual lawsuits involving a variety of state and federal statutes, including the TCPA, FDCPA, state unfair competition statutes, state debt collection statutes, and other state consumer statutes. He routinely assists companies with ensuring their business practices are compliant with state and federal laws, including companies in the payment processing, telecommunications, hospitality, home improvement, and consumer goods verticals industries. In addition, he also has successfully litigated a wide variety of business matters including breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment litigation in both federal and state courts.

Prior to entering private practice, James clerked for the Honorable Keith Blackwell of the Supreme Court of Georgia, where he assisted Justice Blackwell on a variety of civil and criminal cases. He also previously served as a staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, where he worked on appeals from civil rights, employment, immigration, and criminal matters.

James graduated cum laude from Indiana University Maurer School of Law, where he received the highest grade in his civil procedure, contracts, and constitutional law courses. He also served as an Articles Editor for the Indiana Law Journal and Editor-in-Chief of the Indiana Journal of Constitutional Design, and he published Notes in each journal. James also externed with the Honorable David Hamilton of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and served as a graduate research assistant to two professors. Prior to law school, James graduated summa cum laude from Bob Jones University with a degree in history.

Indiana University Maurer School of Law

  • J.D., cum laude
  • Indiana Law Journal, Articles Editor
  • Indiana Journal of Constitutional Design, Editor-in-Chief

Bob Jones University

  • B.A. History, summa cum laude 
  • Supreme Court of Georgia (Hon. Keith Blackwell)
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Staff Attorney)
  • Maryland
  • Georgia
  • District Court of Maryland
  • District Court for the Northern & Middle Districts of Georgia
  • District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • Obtained complete summary judgment in TCPA class action because the calls received by Plaintiff only offered services that were free to consumers, which the Court held didn’t violate the TCPA’s telephone solicitation rule.  Hulce v. Zipongo, Inc., — F. Supp. 3d —-, 2024 WL 1251108 (E.D. Wis. Mar. 18, 2024)
  • Obtained complete dismissal of TCPA class action, with prejudice, in first-in-nation order holding that even a low-level employee who answers a business’s phone has apparent authority to consent to advertising faxes on behalf of the business as a matter of law.  Boone’s Pharmacy, Inc. v. EzriRx, LLC, — F. Supp. 3d —-, 2023 WL 4874785 (S.D. Ala. 2023)
  • Obtained complete dismissal of putative class action on early dispositive motion
  • Advised large financial investment company on telecommunications practice to comply with state and federal law
  • Forced early settlements for a nominal amounts in numerous consumer class actions via a variety of tactics
  • Advised large telecommunications company on debt collection practices to comply with state and federal law
  • Filed lawsuit on behalf of client to obtain unpaid seven-figure balance on contract; obtained settlement including the full balance, costs, and attorneys’ fees
  • Obtained complete dismissal of seven-figure breach of contract claim in federal court
  • Obtained complete dismissal of lawsuit against medical practitioner and hospital on procedural grounds
  • Successfully defended second largest hospital in the State of Georgia in medical malpractice lawsuit resulting in grant of motion for summary judgment on multiple claims