Law Offices of

James R. Austin

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James Austin

Prior to starting his own firm, Jim Austin spent 15 years at the Northville firm of Jerome & Austin, where he gained litigation experience in labor and employment law, personal injury, construction lien law, transportation law, commercial law and domestic relations law. He is admitted to practice in all Michigan Federal and State courts, as well as the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Jim works extensively with towing and wrecker companies. He is also a trained general civil and domestic relations mediator.

In 2011, Jim moved his practice to Alden, in Northern Michigan. He continues to regularly represent towing clients throughout the State of Michigan.

Before turning to law, Jim was a squash professional, teaching at the University Club of Detroit, Detroit Racquet Club and Birmingham Athletic Club. A member of the World Professional Squash Association, he had a fine junior program which produced two University of Pennsylvania squash team captains and two squash professionals. Jim continues to play regularly and compete in local and national tournaments. He also is a strong supporter of Racquet Up Detroit, an urban squash program providing academic tutoring, mentoring and squash programs for underserved youth in Detroit. He also sits on the University of Western Ontario Squash Team Alumni Committee

Jim donates his time to several organizations. He has been a board member and member of the Legislative Committee of the Michigan Towing Association, a non-profit organization working to improve and bring benefits to the wrecker industry in Michigan. He is a trustee of the Alden District Library and served 7 years as its president. He also is the president of the Thayer Lake Property Owners Association.

From 2007 to 2014,Jim was a member and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the State YMCA of Michigan, which oversaw Camp Hayo-Went-Ha for Boys, Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha for Girls, Youth in Government and the YMCA of Northern Michigan. Having spent 15 years as a camper and staff member, he also served as vice chairman of the Camp Board, chairman of the Boys Camp Program Committee, and was Co-chairman of the Boys Camp 100 Years of Camping Celebration in 2003. From 2014 to 2020, he took a sabbatical from law and served as Director of Development and Alumni Relations for YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps. A strong advocate of camping, all four of Jim’s children attended the camps, as have six of his grandchildren.

Jim also serves as chair of the board of Experiential Ink which runs Camp 4 All, one of Michigan’s and the nation’s first LGBTQ+ summer camps, focused on providing a safe, affirming, positive camp experience for LGBTQ+ youth.