Jim McGinnis, a partner at Warner Bates McGough McGinnis & Portnoy, has assisted clients for more than 30 years in his work before judges and juries across Georgia as one of the state’s leading family lawyers. (Warner Bates is the oldest family law firm in the state.) His practice includes divorce and custody cases, and his 13 appeals cases before the State Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Georgia resulted in published opinions.
“The work of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation is vitally necessary and, from a personal standpoint, personally gratifying,” said Jim of his board position. “I value every minute of my time here and recommend it to others.”
Jim works with every aspect of AVLF as treasurer but has done the most work with the Guardian ad Litem program. “Navigating the legal system has its challenges, and no child should ever shoulder that burden,” he says. “Time spent helping children is always time well-spent.”
A native of western Massachusetts, Jim is a political science graduate of Auburn University and received his juris doctor degree from Mercer. He began his career in Macon as an assistant district attorney and practiced family law at McGinnis & Chambers in Atlanta before joining Warner Bates in 2012.
He is a frequent speaker on family law topics to attorney and CPA groups. His experience is also reflected in his service as adjunct professor at the Georgia State University School of Law, where he taught advanced domestic litigation for 15 years.
Jim enjoys the support of his peers as a Georgia Super Lawyer, a member of Georgia Trend magazine’s “Legal Elite,” and has held an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for 20 years.
Marty Ellin, AVLF’s Executive Director, recently noted, “We are a significantly stronger Foundation because of Jim’s personal involvement. From taking a number of cases as a deeply effective volunteer, to encouraging his Warner Bates colleagues to lead the community’s support of the AVLF Guardian ad Litem Program to his service as an Officer and a leader of the AVLF Board, we are proud to be working so closely with Jim McGinnis!”
