James graduated
magna cum laude
from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School where he
served as an articles editor for the BYU Law Review and was honored with
a membership in the Order of the Coif for outstanding legal
scholarship. James continues to be recognized well past law school for his professional abilities. He is
AV Preeminent rated,
the highest possible attorney rating in legal ability and ethical
standards by Martindale-Hubbell, the profession’s oldest publisher of
attorney profiles and ratings. He is also rated the highest possible
rating of “
Superb” by AVVO.com, an unbiased online attorney search and rating firm. He has been named in “
Top Lawyers: The Best of the Best in Southern Nevada” by Vegas, Inc. and as one of
Southern Nevada’s Top Lawyers by Desert Companion magazine.James
began his law career in complex commercial litigation at a national law
firm, Brown & Bain (now Perkins Coie) in Phoenix, Arizona. He
later joined Scalley & Reading in Salt Lake City, Utah where he
continued practicing law in commercial litigation and added general
business to his practice areas. During that time James served as the
Command Judge Advocate in the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) of
the Army National Guard where he advised Army officers and soldiers in
the areas of family law, small business law, and basic estate planning.
He was promoted to the rank of Major, earned his jump wings at the US
Army jump school at Ft. Benning, Georgia, and was recognized by the Army
for his meritorious service.As a partner at the Henderson,
Nevada law firm of Peel Brimley LLP, his practice areas included
corporate and business law, contractor regulatory compliance and
licensing, and contracts law. Now with more than two decades of legal
experience, James is the managing attorney of Claflin Law Ltd in Las
Vegas, Nevada, where he practices business and family law. James
has been a member of the law faculties of Brigham Young University's J.
Reuben Clark Law School, Concord University Law School, and the
University of North Dakota Law School, where he also served as the
Director of the Legal Research and Writing Program. As a law professor,
James has enjoyed designing and teaching courses in legal research and
writing, the legal process, appellate advocacy, torts, trial advocacy,
and contracts. James has continued his love for teaching the law as a
faculty member for attorney seminars on the subjects of business,
corporate, contracts, and family law in addition to volunteering his
time as a guest teacher at local schools on "Law Day." James also
volunteers his time to pro bono cases and "Ask a Lawyer" clinics.
Professional Affiliations
• State Bar of Nevada
- Family Law Section
- Solo & Small Practice Section
• CLC Incorporated, credentialed attorney
• J. Reuben Clark Law Society
