About J. Scott
J. Scott James earned a Master of Arts from the University of Tennessee–Knoxville in 2000 and a J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2003. He arrived at law program after graduate learn about and left with a clear feel that public service and rural practice would shape his profession. Those early educational years set a continuous course for work in county authorities and tribal legal workplaces.
His professional legal career started in personal practice as an associate at Riling, Burkhead & Nitcher in 2006. He moved into county government two years later as an assistant county lawyer in Ford County. That position uncovered him to the day-to-day demands of municipal and county matters. In 2013 he have become the Kiowa County lawyer, taking over broader duty for nearby prosecutions and civil work for the county.
In 2016 James opened James Law Office LLC and served as proprietor and managing lawyer. Running a small practice sharpened his handling of regimen legal proceedings, client counseling and court appearances throughout a range of matters. His career then took a tribal regulation flip in 2018 when he served as Lawyer General for the Oglala Sioux Tribe. That role involved operating inside tribal governance and addressing problems that often intersect federal, state and tribal jurisdictions.
In 2022 he based Southern Hills Law Office and assumed the role of proprietor and managing lawyer there. Throughout his career he has balanced private practice and public roles, moving fluidly among court representation and legal advising for nearby governments and a tribal network. He is licensed to practice in both Kansas and South Dakota and has maintained professional memberships that date again to at least 2005 and 2017.
Colleagues describe him as continuous and pragmatic. He tends to emphasise clean legal avenues for clients and practical subsequent steps. Much of his work ties back to the wants of smaller groups: county matters, municipal concerns and representation that calls for an understanding of nearby procedures. His time as a tribal Lawyer General further an institutional perspective that informs how he approaches disputes that contact authorities entities.
James lives his professional life close to the groups he serves. He runs Southern Hills Law Office as a regional practice serving clients within the jurisdictions where he's licensed. He presently practices at Southern Hills Law Office, representing clients in things springing up in Kansas and South Dakota.
