About James C.
James C. MacGillis has built a steady legal path rooted in both law and public affairs. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from John Carroll University in 1988, a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1994, and a Master of Arts in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota in 1996. Those academic steps gave him a mix of policy and legal training that has shaped his approach to practice.
Before entering private practice he spent time in roles outside the courtroom. In 1992 he taught through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. A few years after law school he completed graduate work and later served as a Business Development Volunteer with the Peace Corps in 2001. He joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP as an associate in 1998, where he began applying his legal training to client matters and firm practice.
MacGillis is admitted to practice in Minnesota and has been active in county and state bar activities for more than two decades. He has been a member of the Hennepin County Bar Association and the Minnesota State Bar Association since 2003. Colleagues elected him co-chair of the Hennepin County Bar Association’s Business & Securities Law Section in 2009, a role he continues to hold. That long-standing involvement reflects sustained interaction with peers on business and securities law issues.
His career blends public service and private practice. The early teaching and Peace Corps experience inform how he approaches client communication and problem solving. At Hinshaw he worked as part of a larger firm team, handling the kinds of commercial and regulatory questions that frequently arise for business clients.
MacGillis now practices from Trepanier & MacGillis P.A. The firm name appears on his office listing and he handles matters commonly grouped under business and securities law. He represents businesses and business owners on transactional issues, compliance questions, and the routine disputes that affect corporate operations. He also counsels clients about governance, contracts, and regulatory considerations related to securities and corporate compliance.
He continues to participate in bar work in Hennepin County and at the state level and remains based in Minnesota. He currently concentrates his practice on business and securities law in Minnesota.
