Founder and experienced law firm leader providing direction and strategic vision for the firm’s growth
James W. Saxton is the chief executive officer of Saxton & Stump. He is an experienced leader who provides direction and strategic vision for the growth of the firm. Under Jim’s leadership, in its first seven years, the firm’s revenue has increased 300% with growth in the number of attorneys, business professionals, services provided, and geographic footprint.
The firm has also strategically added ten affiliate companies and continues to expand on its resources to support client needs. Having led a successful healthcare litigation practice for more than 30 years, he works closely with the firm’s practice group leaders and attorneys to mentor them and focus on their professional growth. Jim has previously served in leadership roles both professionally and in the community. Jim held various leadership roles including co-chair of the health law practice at an AM-Law 200 law firm where he also sat on the firm’s finance committee and previously sat on a large regional firm’s management committee. Recently, he was named to the Central Penn Business Journal’s Power 100 List, an honor give to 100 of the region’s top professional, political and economic leaders who hold positions that give them the ability to shape our communities and influence our quality of life.
Healthcare Litigation Practice
In his litigation practice, Jim continues to represent hospitals and physicians before state and federal courts in professional liability and complex litigation matters. His practice includes healthcare litigation, investigations and criminal defense, medical staff matters and strategic planning. Leveraging his extensive experience as a litigator, Jim advises physicians, hospitals, and post-acute care facilities with understanding and reducing their professional liability risk by promoting excellence in patient satisfaction and incorporating certain specific loss control and safety protocols. He has helped create innovative risk reduction tools, including specialty–specific diagnostic clinical effectiveness dashboards and patient experience and engagement tools, many which are now being used nationally. Jim has also created innovative safety programs for captive insurers, many national in scope.
Recognized expert on healthcare law issues
Jim is a nationally known speaker on healthcare issues, including litigation and trial best practices, mitigation, patient safety, as well as overviews of the changes in the healthcare landscape. He has presented to many prominent healthcare organizations on both the state and national level including the American College of Surgeons, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the American Urological Association, and the Physicians Insurers Association of America. Additionally, he has published more than 200 articles, several handbooks, and seven textbooks in his field, including most recently, Operation Five-Star: Service excellence in the medical practice – Cultural Competency, Post-Adverse Events, and Patient Engagement.
Jim is an active member of many professional associations including being chosen as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a prestigious nomination reserved for less than one-half of one percent of the lawyers in the country; Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia; and Board Member for SE Healthcare. In 2017, he was certified as a member of Lawyers of Distinction, an honor limited to the top 10% of attorneys in the United States. As published in Philadelphia magazine, Jim has been recognized annually on the list of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers since 2012. Additionally, he has been recognized annually by his peers on the list of Best Lawyers in America for his high caliber of work in Litigation-Healthcare since 2016 and as a Select Lawyer in Medical Malpractice Law in 2015.
Dedication to the Community
In addition to his legal pursuits, Jim believes strongly in giving back to the community, volunteering in leadership roles, and lending his expertise to many healthcare and community nonprofits. In 2014, Jim was the recipient of the Excellence in Philanthropy Award presented by the Lancaster General Health Foundation’s Board of Trustees. In 2013, he was awarded Philanthropist of the Year by The Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Additionally, Jim was the Founding Board Member of the Lancaster Community Health Plan; Chairman of the Lancaster YMCA Foundation; and prior to that, President of the YMCA Board of Directors. Jim is also a past Board Member of the American Heart Association.
