James I. Jaconette

James Jaconette is one of the founding partners of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP and is located in its San Diego office. He manages cases in the Firm’s securities class action and shareholder derivative litigation practices.

James has extensive experience in federal and state securities class action litigation. He has served in a primary litigating role as one of lead counsel in a variety of securities cases resulting in recoveries of over $8 billion for individual and institutional investors. For example, James was one of three partners responsible for the day-to-day prosecution of In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. (S.D. Tex.) and In re Dynegy Inc. Sec. Litig. (S.D. Tex.), on behalf of lead plaintiff The Regents of the University of California and the large classes of public investors represented in those actions. Most recently, James was part of the trial team in Schuh v. HCA Holdings, Inc., which resulted in a $215 million recovery for shareholders, the largest securities class action recovery ever in Tennessee. The recovery achieved represents more than 30% of the aggregate classwide damages, far exceeding the typical recovery in a securities class action.

James is currently serving as lead counsel in securities class actions and shareholder derivative cases, including numerous derivative actions arising out of alleged stock option backdating. He also advises institutional investors, including pension funds, hedge funds, and financial institutions, on portfolio monitoring and case evaluation. 

Favorable reported decisions include: In re Informix Corp. Sec. Litig., No. C-97-1289-SBA, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23687 (N.D. Cal. Oct. 17, 1997); Schlagal v. Learning Tree Int’l, No. CV 98-6384 ABC (Ex), 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20306 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 23, 1998); In re Enron Corp. Sec., Derivative & ERISA Litig., 235 F. Supp. 2d 549 (S.D. Tex. 2002); In re Dynegy, Inc. Sec. Litig., 339 F. Supp. 2d 804 (S.D. Tex. 2004); Belova v. Sharp, No. CV 07-299-MO, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19880 (D. Or. Mar. 13, 2008); Bacas v. Way, No. 4:07-cv-456, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23025 (S.D. Tex. Mar. 20, 2008); In re Cirrus Logic, Inc., No. A-07-CA-212-SS, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71195 (W.D. Tex. Aug. 28, 2008); Alaska Elec. Pension Fund v. Olofson, No. 08-2344-CM, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46564 (D. Kan. June 3, 2009); and In re MRV Commc’ns, Inc. Derivative Litig., No. 08-03800 GAF (RCx), 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 136744 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 27, 2010).

Before joining the Firm, James served as law clerk to the Honorable Barbara J. Gamer, and as extern to the Honorable William H. Orrick, Jr., District Judge.  

James has been named a Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer by Lawdragon. He attended San Diego State University, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors and distinction and his Master of Business Administration degree. He received his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Hastings College of the Law, University of California, San Francisco. James was the Mortar Board Vice President from 1988-1989, a member of the Hastings Law Journal from 1993-1994, and Associate Articles Editor from 1994-1995. He  authored The Fraud-on-the-Market Theory in State Law Securities Fraud Suits, Hastings Law Journal, Volume 46, August 1995. 

• Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer, Lawdragon, 2019-2024

• Hastings College of the Law, University of California, San Francisco, J.D., 1995, cum laude
• San Diego State University, M.B.A., 1992
• San Diego State University, B.A., 1989, with honors and distinction

• California
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts of California

Notable Cases

Publications

• Darren Robbins, James Jaconette & Michael Albert, After Cyan: Creative Lawyering Can’t Displace Clear Statute, Law360, Mar. 26, 2018.