Expanding Taft’s growing Commercial Litigation practice group, James Oakley and Todd Rowden have joined the firm in its Chicago office.

Oakley is a partner in Taft’s Commercial Litigation practice group. Working with businesses and individuals in various industries—including the construction, energy, real estate and finance sectors—he counsels clients on complex litigation matters through mediation and international arbitration. His practice touches on areas including construction cases involving bond claims, title disputes and landlord-tenant disputes; real estate development; business transactions; shareholder and contract disputes; business torts such as fraud, conversion and tortious interference and Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) disputes.

An experienced litigator whose practice focuses on serving some of America’s largest financial services corporations and private sector businesses, Rowden is known in the legal field for his keen business and trial strategy and skilled negotiations. He counsels clients on business disputes, dispute resolution and internal investigations. He guides clients through the complexities of legal matters through early mediation, arbitration, trial and appeals. Before joining Taft, Rowden was the Chicago office managing partner and co-chair of the firm-wide Business Litigation practice group at a national law firm with more than 380 attorneys.

Rowden earned his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and participated in the Harvard Law School Executive Education “Leadership in Law Firms” certificate program. Oakley earned his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Pennsylvania.