James Paul Monast

Like doctors, lawyers have an oath. It's not a hollow formality; rather, it distills the essence of lawyers' duties concerning justice, the law and the courts, clients and the public. When I took the oath, I pledged to my clients to conduct myself with dignity, civility and respect; and to honestly, faithfully and competently discharge the duties of an attorney-at-law. I also swore not to pursue any unjust lawsuit. The lawyers' oath is not just a set of words, but a moral code. It is the code that guides my practice. Everyone who works with me shares my commitment. We are not just a law firm–we are a team.

Let's face it: nobody hires a lawyer because they are having a good day. Every day bad things happen to good people. Even the most upstanding and well-respected members of our community are not immune from work injuries and disabling conditions.

Our job is to listen to your concerns, answer your questions, guide you through the process, and achieve the best possible outcome. We approach this task with a sense of urgency and with an eye toward results. As my staff and I often discuss, each moment in our office provides an opportunity to make a client's life better. It is the reason we show up early, stay late, and devote our full resources to each case we accept.

Unfortunately, we cannot represent every individual and family in need. We do not accept every potential case that comes our way because not every case needs a lawyer and because I pride myself on giving your case the time and attention it deserves. My team and I know our clients, their families and their case. After a case ends, clients often become dear friends which you can read about in our testimonials. It is to them and to all injured workers that we have dedicated our careers. To find out how we may help you or your family in a workers' compensation or social security disability case, please call 380-221-3731.

I earned my Juris Doctorate in 1985 and my Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude with distinction in Economics and honors in Liberal Arts) in 1981, both from THE Ohio State University (Go Bucks!). I continued to send lots and lots of money to Ohio State as each of my 4 sons attended there (my daughter went to Otterbein) but still can never seem to get football tickets. I was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at OSU and thoroughly enjoyed undergraduate life there. Law school was not nearly as fun. Over the years, I have handled literally thousands of cases before the Ohio Industrial Commission, Court of Common Pleas, 10th District Court of Appeals, and Ohio Supreme Court. I was part of the first class of attorneys certified as workers' compensation specialists in Ohio. That was many moons ago. In 2016, I was honored to be invited by the Ohio State Bar Association to serve as a Member of the OSBA Specialty Board which develops and oversees the examination and process by which attorneys may become certified as workers' compensation specialists in Ohio.

In my free time, I have enjoyed coaching Upward Basketball and volunteering at Vacation Bible School. I'm also honored to serve as a judge at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law Mediation moot court and alternative dispute/mediation competitions several times each year. An Eagle Scout myself, I've been actively involved with my sons in scouting and served for many years as assistant cubmaster and then as assistant scoutmaster of BSA Troop 96.

I like hiking, camping, range shooting and Skyline chili, not necessarily in that order. I'm also an avid reader of anything from Stephen King (his old stuff is better) to church history and theology, a political history buff and enjoy spending time and too much money restoring and driving a 1978 Toyota FJ 40 Land Cruiser. I am also a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. My wife Amy and I attend Vineyard Church of Columbus and have 5 children and one grandson, a rather demanding miniature schnauzer we inherited from my dad, and a cat who likes to take walks with us around the neighborhood.