Attorney Profiles

James R. Douglass

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, James R. Douglass has remained in the area all of his life. He is part of a long-standing tradition, with a family line in Ohio dating back to before the turn of the Century.

Mr. Douglas graduated with a B.A. in 1977 from the College of Wooster, received his J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1980 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in the same year. Initially, Mr. Douglass worked as in-house counsel for a large corporation.  In 1981, Mr. Douglass joined the old-line Cleveland law firm of Zellmer & Gruber, whose practice focused on the representation of closely held corporations. While at Zellmer & Gruber, Mr. Douglass became the firm’s primary litigator and represented numerous business entities in a wide variety of matters.

In 1998, Mr. Douglass formed James R. Douglass Co. LPA. Mr. Douglass and the firm represents clients at municipal, state and federal levels through trial and appeals.

Mr. Douglass is a life member of the Judicial Conference of the Eighth Judicial District, which indicates preeminent trial lawyer status in the Cleveland area. He is an AAA Arbitrator and Common Pleas Arbitrator. He also served as the attorney for the Cleveland Police Patrolman’s Association and other safety forces where he acquired an in-depth knowledge and understanding of police procedure.

Through his civic involvement, Mr. Douglass has nurtured significant contacts within the municipal, state and federal government and currently serves as Special Counsel to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. He remains active in the Cleveland community. As a high school swim coach for 30 years, he produced scores of All American swimming champions. He has also been involved for many years in coaching youth baseball.

James R. Douglass practices in the following areas of law: Business Litigation; DUI/DWI; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Employment Law; General Practice

Admitted: 1980, Ohio; 1981, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio; 1986, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Law School: Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, J.D., 1980

College: College of Wooster, B.A., 1977

Member: Cleveland and Ohio State Bar Association; Judicial Conference of the Eighth Judicial District (Life Member).

Born: Cleveland, Ohio, October 15, 1954