Experience

• Private practice litigator, 1988-present
• Prosecutor, 7th Infantry Division (Light), Fort Ord, CA, concluding service as Senior Trial Counsel, 1985-88

Licenses

• Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota
• U.S. District Court, No. Dist. IA and District of SD
• Army Courts of Military Review and Military Appeals

Legal Public Service

• Board of Governors, Iowa State Bar Association, 2017-present
• Board of Governors, Iowa Association for Justice, 2003-16, President 2013-14
• Life Fellow, Iowa State Bar Foundation
• District 3B Judicial Nominating Commission, 2010-16
• Woodbury County Fee Arbitration Committee 1995-present, Chair 1998-present
• Active duty Army JAG officer, Captain, 1985-88

Other Public Service

• Director, Sioux City Community School District, 2003-09, Vice-President 2007-08
• Director, Siouxland Economic Development Corporation, 1989-2000, ex-officio 2001 – present
• Church Council, Morningside Lutheran Church, 2001-04
• Siouxland Youth Football Coach, 7th and 8th grade, 2001 & 2002
• Sunday School teacher, Morningside Lutheran Church, 1998- 005
• Siouxland Girl’s basketball coach, 1996-2002
• Director, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Siouxland 1989-95, President 1993
• Optimist Club of Sioux City, President 1998-99
• Army ROTC volunteer, 1978-82, commissioned 2d Lt., 1982

Legal Awards

• AV rating (highest possible rating), Martindale-Hubbell legal peer rating service
• Excellence in Legislative Advocacy Award, Iowa State Bar Association, 2018-19
• Lifetime Achievement member America’s Top 100 Attorneys

Other Awards

• Iowa Association of School Boards’ T.E. Davidson Award of Excellence, Sioux City’s SY05-06 Board
• Optimist of Year, 1993-94
• Army Meritorious Service Medal, 1988
• Army Achievement Medal, 1987

Education

• Juris Doctor, University of South Dakota Law School, 1985
• Bachelor of Science, University of South Dakota Business School, 1982

Membership

• State Bar of South Dakota, 1985-present
• Iowa State Bar Association, 1988-present
• Nebraska State Bar Association, 1988-present
• Woodbury County (IA) Bar Association, 1988-present
• Dakota County (NE) Bar Association, 1995-present
• Iowa Association for Justice, 1993-present

Personal

• Native of Sturgis, SD
• Married 1985-present, 3 children, 2 grandchildren

Jim’s paralegal of 2+ decades, Rhonda Henning, is a 2-time President of the Iowa Association of Legal Assistants, and can be reached directly at 712-252-2424 or at email: [email protected]