Jim spent many years at wireless carrier Western Wireless, which was later acquired by Alltel Wireless, where he built and led the government affairs group. He also served as House Counsel to the Washington State House of Representatives and Legislative Counsel to U.S. Senator Slade Gorton. Early in his career, he clerked for Court of Appeals Judge Gerry Alexander and practiced law at the law firm of Owens Davies Mackie in Olympia. Jim received his law degree from Santa Clara University and was Editor-in-Chief of the Santa Clara Law Review. He received a BA in Political Science from the University of Washington in Seattle.