James D. Vaughn

James D. Vaughn specializes in business litigation and real estate, including a substantial practice in land use entitlement and litigation. He assists developers, commercial property owners and public agencies in complex real estate development projects, including securing and defending project entitlements. Mr. Vaughn also has extensive experience in all facets of real estate litigation, including CEQA lawsuits, land use and zoning litigation, quiet title actions, contract disputes, easement litigation, nuisance actions, and landlord-tenant disputes. Mr. Vaughn’s litigation experience provides a valuable perspective for advising clients in all aspects of their development projects.

Mr. Vaughn’s business litigation practice includes substantial trial and appellate experience in a broad range of commercial disputes. He has successfully litigated, arbitrated and mediated all types of business controversies, including corporation and partnership management disputes and dissolution actions, as well as unfair competition, trade secret, fraud, defamation, breach of contract and declaratory relief claims.

Mr. Vaughn also heads the firm’s religious organizations practice, which specializes in assisting religious organizations and affiliated institutions with the unique legal issues and challenges confronting them. Mr. Vaughn has successfully represented such clients in First Amendment litigation and other civil lawsuits. He also regularly counsels religious organizations in real estate and land use matters. Mr. Vaughn is a founding member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Attorneys Association.

Education and Affiliations

Mr. Vaughn earned a B.S. degree from Georgetown University in 1990, graduating magna cum laude with a major in Business Administration and a minor in English. In 1993, Mr. Vaughn earned his J.D. degree from the University of California Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, where he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award in Contracts and the Prosser Prize in both Secured Real Estate Transactions and Business Planning.

Mr. Vaughn has been a member of the California State Bar since 1993, and is admitted to practice in all state and federal trial and appellate courts in California. Mr. Vaughn is a member of the Los Angeles and Ventura County Bar Associations, as well as the Ventura County Chapter of the American Inns of Court. Mr. Vaughn is also a past president and an active member of the Rotary Club of Westlake Village.