In law school, Mr. Kimzey was an editor of the North Carolina Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. He graduated with honors in 1964.

Mr. Kimzey began his practice in Asheville with Parker, McGuire and Bailey, where his focus was transactional law. When he decided that he wanted to be a trial lawyer, he moved to Raleigh where he practiced for the next thirty years. He first practiced in Raleigh with the legendary Colonel William T. Joyner of Joyner and Howison. He and Colonel Joyner practiced utilities, administrative, and commercial litigation. Mr. Kimzey then struck out on his own, establishing a successful solo practice.

In 1986, Mr. Kimzey, Robert McMillan, Steve Smith, Duncan McMillan and William Plyler formed McMillan, Kimzey, Smith and Plyer. In that firm, Jim focused his practice on commercial litigation. Beginning in the mid 1980’s, he represented many clients engaged in litigation against banks who had made large commercial loans to his clients. He was one of the few lawyers in North Carolina to do so.

Mr. Kimzey has been a member of the North Carolina Bar Association his entire career. He co-chaired a committee supporting North Carolina constitutional amendments, and co-chaired the State Bar’s committee to implement statewide fee arbitration. He was elected by his peers in 1992 to serve as a North Carolina State Bar Councilor. He was a member of the Wake County Bar Association from 1965 through 1995 and has been a member of the Transylvania County Bar Association from 1995 to the present.

He is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Judicature Society and the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers. He has served as an adjunct professor at both North Carolina State University and Peace College.