About James
James Gay grew up studying how people communicate and how politics work. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Political Science from the University of Missouri–Columbia in 2000, then moved to Chicago to study law. He completed his Juris Doctor at DePaul University College of Law in 2008. Those formative years shaped a practice grounded in courtroom procedure and client advocacy.
After law school Gay secured admission to practice in multiple courts. He is admitted in Illinois and Wisconsin, and he holds admissions to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Those credentials allow him to handle matters in both state and federal forums. He participates in appellate work when cases require it and appears in hearings at trial levels throughout the region.
His professional memberships reflect the kinds of matters he handles. He is an active member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the Wisconsin State Bar Association. He also belongs to the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Wisconsin Association of Justice, the Workers Compensation Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice. Those affiliations keep him engaged with peers who litigate and try cases across a range of personal-injury and workers’ compensation issues.
Gay’s courtroom experience extends to trial advocacy and administrative proceedings. He represents clients before state workers’ compensation bodies and in civil courts when claims proceed to trial. He also takes on appeals when trial outcomes are contested. His practice depends on procedural knowledge, an ability to prepare testimony and exhibits, and an understanding of the standards judges and panels apply in resolving disputed claims.
Colleagues describe Gay as steady under pressure and attentive during preparation. He combines courtroom experience with bar association work that keeps him current on procedural developments. He has presented on panels and participated in continuing legal education through the associations he belongs to. These activities inform the practical advice he gives clients and the litigation approaches he pursues.
Today Gay maintains a practice that spans state and federal venues and addresses trial and appellate needs for individuals who have workplace injuries or pursue civil claims. He currently represents clients in workers’ compensation and civil litigation matters.
