Charles James II

Prior to founding the firm that would become the Serious Injury Law Group in 2013, Chuck James reflected on everything he knew to that point about personal injury plaintiff’s law. After a short time as a criminal prosecutor, he joined the national law firm of legendary attorney Johnnie Cochran and concentrated his work on representing injured people.

Although he gained valuable experience in that job, James knew that he wanted to create a law firm with a different kind of focus. “I’d been around plaintiff’s lawyers my entire career,” he recalls. “I saw what worked, and saw things that didn’t necessarily not work, but things that I would improve on. One of those would be accessibility and attentiveness to the client.”

In creating The Law Offices of Charles James, II, he committed himself to providing clients superior service and responsiveness. The next year, he joined forces with attorney Gerald Brooks, who shared his vision in the law firm they would name the Serious Injury Law Group.

Although James has been handling only personal injury cases for most of his career, that’s not what he set out to do. A native of Mobile, James was initially attracted to the law to become a sports agent. But after receiving his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2002, he landed a job in the Mobile County District Attorney’s office, where he stayed until the following year when he had a chance to join the Cochran firm.

Working with Cochran and Jock Smith, another legal giant, James was instrumental in cases that resulted in high-dollar verdicts for clients, including one for $1.26 billion. He has achieved numerous six- and seven-figure verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.

While monetary victories are satisfying, James finds that other rewards are even more fulfilling. “It’s very gratifying to me to be able to give voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless,” he says. “Big insurance companies don’t necessarily care about what happens to average everyday people, and I try to make sure that someone stands up for these people and that these companies are held accountable.”

“Dedication to my client is what’s important to me. My cases are usually my client and me going up against a big insurance company and their team of lawyers and paralegals. But I don’t care how many lawyers I’m going up against. They’re not going to fight for their client’s interests like I am for mine. I will, with every fiber of my being, go in every time and give it my all.”

James’ professional commitment is not restricted to his practice alone. He has long been very active in sharing his experience with other lawyers in Continuing Legal Education programs. He has spoken on many issues, including rules of evidence, trial strategy, and ethics.

He is a past president of the Montgomery County Trial Lawyers Association and the Capital City Lawyers Association and has served on the Character and Fitness Committee and the Diversity Committee of the Alabama State Bar Association.

He is active in the Resurrection Catholic Church in Birmingham and the Knights of Peter Claver auxiliary group there. He also serves on the board of the Music Education on Wheels (MEOW) program that aids autistic children, and he serves on the board of the Brantwood Children’s Home.

He enjoys music, grilling, and deep-sea fishing. He and his wife, Lloria Munnerlyn James, the chief deputy district attorney in the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, both enjoy travel.