Jim is a founding member of the law firm of Decker Vonau, LLC and he received his undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University in 1978 and his law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1981. He joined Mark Decker's practice immediately upon receiving his license to practice law in 1981 to form a ""partnership"" that has lasted for more than 30 years. Jim's practice areas include estate planning and probate matters; business formation, operation, transactions, and other matters; and residential, commercial, and investment real estate matters. Jim is a member of both the Ohio and Columbus Bar Associations. He is a longtime member and former chair of the Probate Court Committee of the Columbus Bar Association. Jim has also served as the chair of the Small Firm/Solo Practitioner Committee of the Columbus Bar Association. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Columbus (Secretary) and its Professional Advisors Group and is also a longtime member, and has served as the president of, The Catholic Men's Luncheon Club. He is also an active member of the Real Property Committee of the Columbus Bar Association, the Columbus Estate Planning Group, the Worthington Estate Planning Council, Charity Newsies, Knights of Columbus, and various other civic and professional organizations. Jim co-authored The Elder Law Desk Reference, a manual published primarily for fellow attorneys by the Ohio State Bar Association. A frequent lecturer to both lay and professional audiences, Jim has received recognition from the Columbus Bar Association as an instructor in continuing legal education for fellow attorneys. A lifelong resident of the Columbus area, Jim resides in Gahanna with his wife, Beth. During his leisure time, he enjoys chasing around their grandchildren, golf and cheering on his beloved Buckeyes, Reds, and Bengals.