Jim’s experience uniquely positions him to assist municipalities in a myriad of ways, ranging from being the city attorney to land use to personnel to public works construction.
Jim, a Member and former chair of the firm’s Municipal practice area, focuses his practice on all facets of municipal representation, ranging from land use to personnel to public works construction. He practices extensively in the area of condemnation and land acquisition for the various cities the firm represents and has assisted several incorporation efforts.
Jim has over forty years of experience as the contract city attorney for several Washington cities. Jim believes that the most important role of the city attorney is to help city leaders achieve their goals and community vision within the bounds of the law. A city attorney must be a good listener, first and foremost, and Jim prides himself on his ability to listen to and understand the legal needs of his clients and to use his experience to provide cost-effective, practical solutions to legal issues.
Jim is a member of the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys (WSAMA) and has been a lecturer before the Association of Washington Cities Planning and Zoning Institute.
Jim was born in Renton, Washington in 1955. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington in 1977 with a B.A. in Political Science and received his J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law in 1980.
jhaney@omwlaw.com