James joined the Cogan & Power team during his 2L year as a law clerk in March 2021. He has worked on cases involving FELA, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, and other personal injury matters throughout his eighteen months with the firm. In November 2022, James was sworn in as an attorney of the Illinois Bar and officially started his role as an Associate.
In addition to his work in the legal field, James serves on the board of two not-for-profit organizations focused on education for incarcerated youth and re-entry advocacy for formerly incarcerated individuals.
James was born and raised in Normal, Illinois, growing up in a farmhouse with his parents and two older sisters. After graduating from high school, he moved to Eugene, Oregon to study political science and gender studies at the University of Oregon. During his time as a Duck, James was involved in student government and advocacy, mental health awareness programs, helped found the UO Alumni Association’s LGBTQIA+ affinity group, and interned for Mobility International USA – an organization focused on empowering women with disabilities. It was from this work in community support and advocacy that James realized he wanted to pursue a future in the legal field.
James graduated summa cum laude in 2016, James moved back to the Midwest for his first full time job as a conflict analyst at a law firm in Chicago. He then transitioned into a role as a paralegal working on products liability and data security class action litigation for two years. James then decided to return to school to pursue his goal of being an advocate in the courtroom. In the Fall of 2019, he started his law school journey at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law.
He is a member of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and plays softball and volleyball in Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association leagues. When James is not running around a field or advocating, he spends his time volunteering at the Glenwood Sunday Market in Rogers Park, coaching UIC Law mock trial competition teams, and camping.
If you have been injured in a personal injury or medical malpractice accident, do not hesitate to contact the Chicago accident and injury law firm of Cogan & Power, P.C. at (312) 477-2500 to schedule a free case consultation, so that we can help you begin the process of recovery as soon as possible.
