By MOLLIE BROWN / Community Columnist

Attorney Jennifer R. James grew up “an Air Force brat.” She was born in Ohio, but moved from state to state before finishing high school in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. She attended the University of Missouri where she obtained an undergraduate degree in journalism in 1987. After working a couple of years in sales she was employed with Oxmoor House Books, the book publishing division of Birmingham-based Southern Progress Corp. James made a career change when a layoff occurred.

“I always had in the back of my mind I wanted to go to law school,” James said. “When that job at Southern Progress came to an end, I had to make a decision as to what to do. I applied to the law school at the University of Alabama. That was in ‘91.”

James worked in civil and employee rights, criminal law and insurance defense before opening her practice in Calera last fall.

“I’ve worked in insurance for the last 10 or 12 years,” she said. “During that time I was a claims adjuster and worked in litigation management, but decided it was time to use my law degree for what I needed to use it for and Calera is a great place for that.”

James, who loves to work with small businesses, and her husband Doyle, who is an IT consultant, live with their three dogs, Tango, Pogo and Presto in Montalla Acres. They’re both musicians and play in community concert bands and with the dance band Ain’t Misbehavin. “I play French horn as my main instrument and Doyle plays sax, but in the dance band I’m the drummer,” James said.

James represents both plaintiff and defendant. She said she never meets a stranger and enjoys meeting new people.

James offers a free initial consultation at her office located in the shopping plaza behind the Calera Post Office. She can be reached at 668-1283, toll free at 1-888-295-5043, or email jennifer@jrjameslaw.com.

Mollie Brown can be reached at dmjhb1@bellsouth.net.