Providing Skilled Estate Planning & Business Law Services in Middle Tennessee
Jim Foster is known for his approachability and appreciated for the way he comes alongside others to walk with them wherever they are. This passion for helping people is a hallmark of his law practice. Whether spending time with his loved ones or sitting with a client uncertain about the next steps, Jim actively listens and learns in order to find solutions that will enable them to achieve their goals and realize the dreams they have for themselves and those they love. Jim believes that an experienced attorney's life perspective can help a client move forward with greater confidence and peace. In addition to offering legal advice, Jim is a networker who enjoys connecting clients with potential outside advisors, strategic partners, and investors.
A lifelong entrepreneur, Jim's first career as a musician and producer included touring with several well-known recording artists and an unforgettable season living and working in Germany. Before beginning law school Jim also assisted two European-based startups with their US launches—German software developers who created a revolutionary solution for movie special effects companies, and a Swiss-owned company that had designed a new line of watches. These valuable experiences, which opened Jim's eyes to new ways of using his life skills, gave him unique insights into what it takes to create a successful business, and also pointed him towards his current career.
Seeing the law as a wonderful tool for helping people, advocating, and defending those most vulnerable, Jim began his career transition by studying at the University of Tennessee College of Law. While there, he served as a Student Materials Editor on the Tennessee Law Review, receiving the TLR's Third Year Award in recognition of his contributions. His involvement with Christian Legal Society, the Trademark Moot Court, and the Knox County Public Defender's Externship Program enhanced his legal education.
After graduating, Jim served for over five years as Assistant Attorney General with the Tennessee Attorney General's Civil Rights and Claims Division in Nashville. There he defended actions brought against the Department of Transportation and Department of Safety in the Tennessee Claims Commission, Tennessee state and federal courts, and he successfully briefed and argued before the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Jim's background as a litigator allows him to give practical advice to clients, especially those having to evaluate whether to pursue court action to resolve a legal dispute.
Wanting to explore other areas of the law, and planning to establish a practice of his own, Jim moved to the private sector, spending seven years with Fidelis Law, PLLC, in Brentwood, Tennessee. During this time his practice areas included business law, estate planning, and intellectual property. In the fall of 2019, Jim returned to his entrepreneurial roots and opened his own practice, focusing on estate planning and business law, exploring new opportunities, and expanding client services.
For Jim, the practice of the law, no matter the setting or area of focus, is about building relationships and working on behalf of others, positioning them for success moving forward, and helping them to build their own legacy. Whether your needs are business related or planning your family's future, Jim can help you ask the right questions and work with you to lay a foundation for what's ahead.
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When not at the office, Jim spends time with his wife, McLauren, and their two boys, playing ball, enjoying music, reading, hiking, cycling, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen. They love having good friends over for dinner and treating them like royalty. Jim and McLauren are active in their home church and have participated in numerous short-term mission trips. Their family loves to travel – especially to the beach! – and Jim has been to more than 50 countries, visiting Central and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and India. Jim has lived overseas for 11 years and is fluent in German. One of his personal highlights has been working with several German clients that he has been privileged to get to know in recent years.
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Tennessee, 2005
- S. District Court of Middle District of Tennessee, 2005
- S. District Court of Eastern District of Tennessee, 2006
- S. District Court Western District of Tennessee, 2006
- S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2009
EDUCATION
- University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee
- J.D. – 2005
- Law Review: Tennessee Law Review, Student Material Editor, 2003-2005
- University of North Texas, Denton, Texas – 1981
- Honors: cum laude
- Major: Music Theory
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Williamson County Bar Association
- Wealth Counsel
PAST EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS
- Fidelis Law, PLLC, 2011 – 2019
- Tennessee Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, 2005 – 2011
PRO BONO ACTIVITIES
- Compassionate Counsel
LANGUAGES
- English
- German
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Learn more about what we do:
Estate Planning for Business Owners
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