James R. Vogler

About James

With over 200 successfully litigated disputes under his belt, and many years of industry experience representing over a dozen automotive clients, Jim brings unmatched talent in resolving the most complex and serious issues those clients face as they interact with dealers in their networks and with state regulators who oversee those business activities. Jim is the founder and former co-chair of the firm’s Motor Vehicle Group. He is also a senior partner in BFKN’s Litigation and Intellectual Property Groups. Jim has counseled dozens of motor vehicle and other franchisor clients, and has litigated disputes for them, on a broad range of legal issues throughout the U.S. His track record for motor vehicle franchisors includes, in addition to an unblemished record of success in close to 50 add-point and relocation cases, litigation involving dealer terminations, market encroachment, warranty reimbursement (audits, disputes, policies and fraud), national allocation systems, facility and site control regulation, minority dealer representation programs, advertising regulation, antitrust regulation, franchise transfers, Dealer-Day-in-Court Act claims, gray market trading, dealer and distributor licensing, company-owned dealerships, product marketing and consumer fraud regulation. Jim has also litigated cases involving land use planning, tax increment financing, zoning, commercial class actions, copyright and trademark infringement, trade secrets, restrictive employment covenants, whistleblower employee termination, antitrust claims, lender liability, environmental regulation, condemnations, truth-in-lending claims, political asylum, and claims under the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. In addition to practicing before dozens of administrative agencies around the country, Jim is admitted to practice in the State of Illinois, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Fifth and Seventh U.S. Courts of Appeal, and numerous U.S. District Courts. Throughout his career, Jim has served on several business boards, including U.S. Laboratories Inc., Pharos Innovations LLC; and on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations, including: Rise International, which has now built nearly 200 schools in rural Africa; Children’s Heart Foundation, Williams Heart Foundation, Tyndale Theological Seminary, and The Chicago Foundation.

Practice Areas

Education

• Harvard University, B.A., graduated 1974
• Southern Illinois University School of Law, J.D., graduated 1977

Bar Admissions

• Illinois, Illinois State Bar Association

Languages