Jim Carney is the founding partner of the Carney Law Firm. He is a native Iowan, born and raised in Centerville. Jim graduated from Centerville High School, obtained a Liberal Arts degree at the University of Iowa and a J.D. degree from Drake Law School. Between undergraduate and law school, Jim had a two-year duty in the U.S. Army. He was an assistant golf and basketball coach at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. After finishing law school, Jim started his own law firm and limits his practice to legislation, administrative law and civil litigation.

Jim represents many of Iowa’s major professional associations and industry associations, as well as many Fortune 500 companies including Meredith Corporation, AT&T and Anheuser-Busch. He has represented the Iowa State Bar Association as legislative counsel since 1975. In 1997 Jim was awarded the ISBA’s President’s Award in recognition of his work on behalf of the ISBA. Jim was also awarded the ISBA Young Lawyer Division Award of Merit in 2001 in recognition of his legislative work on behalf of the Iowa State Bar Association.

Jim was the first contract lobbyist to serve as chairman of the National Association of Bar Executives’ Government Relations Section. The Government Relations Section of NABE represents state and local bar associations across the country. Jim speaks nationally at professional and trade association meetings on legislation and legislative techniques.

During the course of his practice, Jim represented the first HMO in the state of Iowa and worked on the enabling legislation for HMOs in Iowa (SHARE and United Health Care). As part of his practice, Jim has also worked with virtually all state agencies and extensively with the Department of Human Services, Health Department, Department of Revenue and Department of Commerce, including the Insurance Division and Professional Licensing and Regulation Division.

Jim is a member of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers. The Iowa Academy is composed of defense and plaintiff attorneys and is limited to the top 225 trial attorneys in the state. Admission to the academy is by invitation only. He is also a Bencher (mentor) in the Blackstone Inns of Court and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).

Legislatively, Jim prides himself in being “non-partisan” and having excellent relationships with both sides of the political aisle, with legislative leadership, the Attorney General’s office and the Governor’s office. Jim is also a member of The Advocacy Group (TAG), which was established in 1992. TAG is the first international public affairs and government relations group with firms located in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and six countries. You may obtain more information regarding TAG via www.theadvocacygroup.org.

Jim has served on the boards of many local and state associations and is currently an Executive Board Member of the National Letterman’s Club of the University of Iowa and National I-Club Board Member. Jim has the experience of working with associations, association management, fundraising, coalition building and political action committees since 1975.