James (Jim) D. Ballinger of Louisville Lawyer, PLLC, has been licensed to practice law in Kentucky for over 20 years. Jim graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and subsequently went on to obtain his law degree from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville in 1999. Jim made the Dean’s List nearly every semester while working a full-time job at Philip Morris in Louisville as a Production Analyst, and later a Budget Analyst, while simultaneously attending U of L’s, now unfortunately defunct, night law school program. Jim is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, the Louisville Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He is admitted to practice before all Federal District Courts in Kentucky and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Jim has served two terms as member of the Louis D. Brandeis Inn of Court, which includes 80 local distinguished lawyers, judges and law students. The Inn of the Court’s mission and meetings relate to promoting civility in the practice of law. Jim was also a member for over 15 years, and past President, of the Board of Directors for the Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to benevolently serving the needs of the blind and visually impaired throughout Kentucky.
Prior to attending law school and working at Philip Morris, Jim proudly worked for the US Postal Service as a mail carrier from 1985 through 1991. He later worked for Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA in Georgetown, Kentucky for over three years after he obtained his Bachelor’s degree. Jim worked on the line, and painted several hundred cars per night, prior to quickly being promoted to Assembly Line Control in the-then new Plant 2, which was primarily constructed to assemble the Toyota Avalon in Georgetown. In his position in Assembly Line Control, Jim daily reported directly to the Plant Manager, and was responsible for developing production plans for each year, month and day. Jim was responsible for monitoring production in each shop of the plant on a daily basis, on-the-spot troubleshoot production delays or problems anywhere in the plant, and then setting the number of cars to be manufactured each day and setting plantwide overtime for the shift. In this position, Jim was required to switch shifts every two months to stay attuned to developments or problems with production on each shift, which included monitoring confidential pilot projects for new vehicles to be manufactured.
Jim is also the proud son of a retired US Postal carrier who worked 37 years delivering mail. It is Jim’s diverse background that gives a unique perspective in the practice of law, which allows him to be able to relate and empathize with a variety of client needs or problems. While in law school, Jim also proudly clerked for two years for his still very close friend, the Honorable Justice, Martin E. Johnstone, when he was the Deputy Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court. Also, while in law school, Jim found his third-grade teacher who had in 1973 graciously given him a law book which belonged to her deceased husband, Charles Lunderman, in which she had inscribed “To James, a someday successful trial attorney, from the “Late Great”, Judge Lunderman.” Jim found her 25 years later to personally thank her because her book inspired him to quit his job at Toyota and pursue his dream of attending law school. The Courier-Journal ran a front-page story about Jim and his teacher, and subsequently the Oprah Winfrey show did a story about Jim and his teacher discussing how teachers can inspire young children.
Jim began his career as an associate attorney with Wyatt Tarrant & Combs, LLP, before later becoming a partner attorney with another local 21-member firm four years out of law school, prior to forming his own firm in 2007. Jim has been involved with the drafting and helping get enacted several Kentucky statutes in Frankfort.
Jim lives in Oldham County. In his spare time, Jim enjoys golfing, restoring vintage Corvettes (1962 through 1967), boating, and spending time with his family.
