James A. Francis

James A. Francis focuses his practice at Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C. on consumer law, particularly matters involving fair credit reporting, fair debt collection practices, and consumer class actions. He co-founded his consumer rights practice in 1998 and has helped obtain significant results for consumers nationwide. He has served as class counsel in more than 70 cases and has handled trial and appellate work involving major Fair Credit Reporting Act disputes across federal courts nationwide.

James earned his J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1995, where he served as Student Bar Association president and received awards for civil trial and oral advocacy. He earned his B.A., cum laude, from Muhlenberg College in 1992. He is admitted in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, before multiple federal appellate and district courts, and before the US Supreme Court, supporting his nationwide complex consumer rights litigation practice.

James served as trial and appellate counsel in Ramirez v. Trans Union, which produced a record $60 million Fair Credit Reporting Act jury verdict before later appellate proceedings and settlement. He also argued Cortez v. Trans Union before the Third Circuit in 2009. He has led or participated in major class actions involving credit reporting, background screening, debt collection, vehicle sales, and consumer data, obtaining substantial monetary and injunctive relief.

James A. Francis has repeatedly been named among Pennsylvania and Philadelphia’s Top 100 Super Lawyers and was profiled by Law360 as a Titan of the Plaintiffs’ Bar in 2014. He received the Equal Justice Award from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia that same year. He was elected a Fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers in 2023 and regularly lectures on consumer rights and financial services law.

Law Office Affiliations

• Co-Founder, Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C.
• Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
• Member, National Association of Consumer Advocates
• Member, National Consumer Law Center
• Fellow, American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyer

Licensed State

• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey

Education

• Temple University Beasley School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Muhlenberg College
  Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude

Awards & Badges