James R. Nelson was born and raised on a farm in Adrian, Michigan where he graduated from Adrian High School in 1965. He was active in 4-H and grange as well as high school sports and government. He then attended Michigan State University where he majored in business pre-law and graduated with a BA degree, cum laude in 1969. Jim then attended Detroit College of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate degree, cum laude, in 1972. From 1972 to 1978 he practiced civil litigation with a large litigation firm in Southeastern, Michigan. With Steven Kreuger, he then established his own litigation firm which was located in Grand Rapids, Michigan until they moved to Hudsonville on August 1, 2000. Jim has achieved the highest available AV Rating as an attorney by Martindale-Hubbell.

Jim was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1972, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in 1972, The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan in 1978, and the U.S. Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit in 1980. Jim's professional memberships include: American Bar Association, Grand Rapids Bar Association, Ottawa County Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, West Michigan Defense Association, and The Defense Research Institute.

Jim has extensive experience in handling a wide variety of civil litigation on behalf of individuals, companies, insurance companies, self-insured companies, self-insured associations, and municipalities. This litigation experience has included handling products, construction, commercial, municipal, zoning, auto and general liability cases, as well as handling insurance coverage and subrogation cases.

Since 1978 Jim has lived in Jenison where he has been active in the Grandville / Jenison Jaycees, the Jenison Chamber of Commerce, the Hudsonville Chamber of Commerce and for 14 years served as the Church Administrator for the Georgetown United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Marsha, have two daughters, Elizabeth and Emily.