James R. Nelson
Counselor
Phone: 616.842.3030
Fax: 616.846.6621
Email: jnelson@scholtenfant.com
Legal Assistant:
Kathie Verwolf
Practice Areas:
Litigation and Appeals
Insurance Law
Personal Injury - Defense
Personal Injury - Plaintiff
Municipal Liability
Land Use and Zoning
Commercial Litigation
Areas of emphasis/expertise:
Jim has extensive experience in handling a wide variety of civil litigation on behalf of individuals, companies, insurance companies, self-insured companies, self-insured associations, and municipalities. This litigation experience has included handling products, construction, commercial, municipal, zoning, auto and general liability cases, as well as handling insurance coverage and subrogation cases.
Bar Admissions:
Michigan, 1972
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 1972
U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, 1978
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1980
U.S. Supreme Court, 2000
Education:
Michigan State University (Bachelor of Arts Cum Laude, 1969)
Detroit College of Law (Juris Doctor Cum Laude, 1972)
Professional Associations and Memberships:
American Bar Association Member
Grand Rapids Bar Association Member
Ottawa County Bar Association Member
Federal Bar Association Member
Michigan Defense Trial Counsel Member
West Michigan Defense Association Member
The Defense Research Institute Member
Personal:
James R. Nelson was born and raised on a farm in Adrian, Michigan where he graduated from Adrian High School in 1965. He was active in 4-H and grange as well as high school sports and government. He then attended Michigan State University where he majored in business pre-law and graduated with a BA degree, cum laude in 1969. Jim then attended Detroit College of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate degree, cum laude, in 1972. From 1972 to 1978 he practiced civil litigation with a large litigation firm in Southeastern, Michigan. He then established his own litigation firm which was located in Grand Rapids, Michigan until moving to Hudsonville on August 1, 2000. Jim joined the law firm of Scholten Fant on January 1, 2007. Jim has achieved the highest available AV Rating as an attorney by Martindale-Hubbell.
Since 1978 Jim has lived in Jenison where he has been active in the Grandville / Jenison Jaycees, the Jenison Chamber of Commerce, the Hudsonville Chamber of Commerce and for 14 years served as the Church Administrator for the Georgetown United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Marsha, have two daughters, Elizabeth and Emily.