attorneys

James Hatcher | Associate

James Hatcher is the primary attorney practicing in the areas of probate and estate planning. During his career, Jim has represented clients in a wide variety of matters, including personal injury, domestic relations, bankruptcy, real estate, commercial transactions, estate planning, and litigation. He also has extensive experience in the areas of civil rights violations and securities, including work on some of the largest class actions in the country.

In recent years, Jim has dedicated the majority of his practice to estate planning, commercial transactions, and business formation. He stresses the importance of clients planning for the preservation and management of their assets both during their lifetime and after their death. This often involves the creation of revocable and irrevocable trusts, as well as the formation of limited liability companies, corporations, partnerships and other entities. As a part of the estate planning process, he assists clients in formulating and implementing business and estate planning structures that will accomplish their goals and maximize their protection.

In addition to more complex forms of estate planning, Jim has prepared hundreds of wills, living wills, health care declarations, and powers of attorney for clients each year for the last several years. This process involves discussing their wishes and seeking to accomplish their goals in providing for their family or other loved ones and minimizing the difficulty and expense that can come along with probate or administration of decedents’ estates.

Jim also regularly advises clients regarding the sale and purchase of real estate, businesses and business entities. He regularly drafts and reviews contracts for sale, options to purchase, residential leases, commercial leases, buy/sell agreements, owner financed sales contracts, employment contracts, confidentiality agreements, promissory notes, mortgages and similar documents.

Jim received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University, in New York City, New York, where he participated in varsity track and was on the Dean’s List. His education at Columbia involved a broad range of studies, which included not only an emphasis on logic and writing, but also a wide range of art, music and literature. He received his law degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law. He is married with three children.