Jim has been practicing law since 1978. He began his legal career at Urban & Coolidge, where he became partner in 1984. In 1995, Jim was a founding partner of Page, Murphree, Byerly & Hansen. Jim joined Ewing & Jones in 2011 and was a Managing Principal from 2012 through 2020. His estate planning/probate expertise and corporate transaction experience offer a unique and valuable resource to his clients.

Jim is board certified in Estate Planning and Probate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and prepares many Wills and Trusts every year, ranging from the simplest to the very complex. He participates on the Speakers Bureau of the Houston Bar Association and has made over 100 speeches on various estate planning and probate topics to civic organizations, churches, and businesses.

Jim graduated from Duke University in 1974 and received his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1978 from the University of Houston, where he was a member of the Law Review. He became a member of the State Bar of Texas in 1978 and became board certified in estate planning and probate in 1991. Jim is also a member of the the Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Section of the State Bar of Texas.