Jim grew up in Los Angeles and moved north to attend the University of California at Berkeley.  In 1985, Jim graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, with a degree in Geology.  Jim attended Loyola Law School and graduated in 1989.  He graduated in the top third of his class.

Jim initially practiced environmental law in Southern California.  Since 1993, Jim has practiced insurance coverage/bad faith litigation in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.  Jim was a partner at the San Francisco law firm of Celebrezze & Wesley until he joined Yaron & Associates in August of 2000.  Jim became a partner at Yaron & Associates in July of 2002 and remained there until 2022 when he joined BHC Law Group as a partner.  Jim remained at BHC Law Group practicing insurance coverage law until 2026 when he joined Yaron and Douglas as a partner.

He is admitted to practice before all the Federal and State Courts in the State of California.

Jim lives in Marin County, with his wife Marie, and his hobbies include running, skiing and rooting for the California Golden Bears.