About James Williams
James Williams Hart built a legal career that moves from the public defender’s office to private practice. He completed a Bachelor of Arts at Ohio Wesleyan University in 1994 and earned his J.D. from Ohio State University in Columbus in 2002. Those years set a clear path into courtroom work and case management.
Hart began his professional practice in public service. In 2004 he served as an assistant public defender, gaining early trial experience and handling a range of criminal matters. That on-the-ground courtroom time shaped his approach to client representation and to case preparation.
In 2005 he joined Hill, Adams, Hall & Schieffelin as an associate lawyer. Later that same year he launched his first private practice, The Law Office of James W. Hart, P.A. He ran that firm while continuing to develop a caseload that crossed procedural and factual lines. In 2010 he reorganized his practice and opened The Hart Law Office, P.A., the firm he currently operates.
Hart is admitted to practice in both Florida and North Carolina. He has been a member of the 10th Judicial District Bar since 2010. Those connections reflect a practice that spans two state systems and the practical demands that come with managing matters in different jurisdictions.
Colleagues describe Hart as a practitioner formed by courtroom experience. He draws on years of representing clients in contested settings and on the procedural work required to keep cases moving. His background in public defense gave him early exposure to trial preparation, witness handling and arraignment procedures. Time in private firms followed; that period added civil litigation and firm management to his repertoire.
Over the past decade and a half Hart has balanced practice and firm leadership. He handles case intake, client counseling and litigation strategy. He also oversees administrative aspects of running a small firm, from docketing to staff coordination. Those responsibilities sit alongside the legal work he performs for clients in both Florida and North Carolina.
Hart’s practice remains rooted in courtroom and trial work. He represents individuals in contested matters and manages the practical tasks a busy practice requires. He now practices through The Hart Law Office, P.A., handling criminal defense and trial work in Florida and North Carolina.
