Jim is a native of Sturgis, SD, and a graduate of the University of South Dakota’s Business School (1982) and Law School (1985). An Army ROTC volunteer at USD, he served 3 years on active duty as a JAG officer in the Army’s 7th Infantry Division (Light), concluding his Army service in 1988 as the Senior Trial Counsel at Fort Ord, CA, and was awarded the Army’s Achievement and Meritorious Service medals.

Jim has since been in private law practice in Sioux City, licensed in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota (in both federal and state courts). He practices primarily in the areas of personal injury, accident and wrongful death, real estate and other civil litigation, and criminal defense.

Jim is a current member of the Iowa State Bar’s Board of Governors and is a past President of the Iowa Association for Justice (formerly the Iowa Trial Lawyers Association), the largest group of trial lawyers in Iowa, having served on its Board of Governors for over a decade. He was previously elected by the lawyers in Judicial District 3B to serve on the district Judicial Nominating Commission, and has served as the Woodbury County Fee Arbitration Committee’s chairperson for over 20 years. He is also a member of the State Bar of South Dakota, and the Nebraska State Bar Association, and is a Fellow of the Iowa State Bar Foundation. He has spoken regularly at bar association education seminars, civic group meetings, and schools, about a variety of civil justice topics. Jim is also a Lifetime Achievement member of America’s Top 100 Attorneys.

Jim has been an active supporter of public education, serving two terms on the 14,000+ student Sioux City Community School District Board of Education, and was a member of the SY2005-06 Board awarded the T.E. Davidson Award of Excellence by the Iowa Association of School Boards. Jim’s other service has included over 25 years on the board of the Siouxland Economic Development Corporation, and as a board member and past president of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Siouxland.

Jim’s paralegal of over two decades, Rhonda Henning, is the two time past President of the Iowa Association of Legal Assistants, and can be reached directly at 712-252-2424 or at email: [email protected]