Andrea James

Andrea Y. James is a talented, tough and experienced litigator who focuses her practice on high-stakes commercial litigation, employment disputes and internal investigations. 

Based in Holland & Knight's Houston office, Ms. James defends employers of all sizes across all industries. She has considerable experience representing clients in federal and state courts nationwide, before administrative agencies and in arbitration forums in a wide variety of disputes, including fraud, breach of contract, restrictive covenants, healthcare fraud and abuse, Title VII and National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) matters. Ms. James is a strong proponent for early and effective resolution backed by a reliable and effective trial option. Utilizing the knowledge and skills obtained from her time as an attorney in the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) Honors Program, she has successfully defended clients in both jury and bench trials.

Ms. James thrives under pressure and is frequently hired to represent clients involved in high-profile cases, where she serves as a zealous advocate and offers practical solutions to their most pressing challenges. She also regularly represents clients in obtaining and defending against requests for emergency relief and showcases her versatility with a diverse clientele, ranging from an internationally renowned celebrity music artist to oil pipeline companies.

In addition to her high-stakes litigation work, Ms. James supports clients facing government investigations and enforcement actions across various industries, including healthcare, education and finance. Ms. James counsels companies and their management teams on their obligations during such investigations and provides strategies for minimizing risks of litigation.

Ms. James also regularly offers counsel to businesses seeking to mitigate risk and avoid conflict. Leveraging her business degree and in-house secondment experience, clients value her balance of tireless advocacy with a focus on their bottom line and business interests. Moreover, Ms. James advises clients on policies and procedures involving labor and employment practices such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), union organization efforts and compensation plans.

You can often find Ms. James donning her professorial hat at her alma mater, Tulane University Law School, where she serves as an adjunct professor in the online Master of Jurisprudence in Labor and Employment Law Program.