James R. "Jim" Oswald 10YEARSAWARDED

James R. "Jim" Oswald

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2015
Awarded Practice Areas
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2027 edition in Providence.
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2027 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
James R. "Jim" Oswald
James R. "Jim" Oswald
Providence, RI
Works at
Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC

30 Best Lawyers awards

Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC logo

Biography

Jim solves problems for people in crisis, representing entities and individuals in complex litigation in Rhode Island and other New England jurisdictions.

He brings to his practice – in commercial litigation, asbestos defense, and toxic tort defense – over 30 years of high-profile trial and appellate experience. Jim also is a member of the firm’s Appellate Group.

Tenacious in finding creative solutions to his clients’ most difficult problems, Jim has decades of experience defending national companies in hundreds of asbestos-related injury cases in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine. He also serves as National Coordinating Counsel for a large multi-national company, actively managing thousands of asbestos-related cases in a dozen jurisdictions.

Jim is fluent in French.

Works at
Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC

30 Best Lawyers awards

Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC logo

Locations

Education

  • New York University, J.D., graduated 1997

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2027 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Providence (2027)
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Providence (2022)
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Providence (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 for work in:
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Mass Tort Litigation
  • Product Liability Litigation
  • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Special Focus:
  • Civil Litigation
  • Environmental
  • Mass Tort
Awards:
  • Best Lawyers’ 2027 Lawyer of the Year, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Providence.
  • Recognized as on the the “500 Leading Litigators in America” by Lawdragon, 2025.

  • Best Lawyers’ 2022 Lawyer of the Year, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Providence.

  • Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Mass Tort / Class Actions – Defendants, 2015 -2026.

  • Best Lawyers’ 2015 Lawyer of the Year, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Providence. Jim was one of 14 lawyers in New England who won “Lawyer of the Year” the very first year selected to Best Lawyers in America®.

  • New York University School of Law Moot Court Board winner of a prestigious national moot court competition.

  • Selected as a Rhode Island Super Lawyer, 2008-2019.

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