Areas of Practice include:

Construction
Litigation
Municpal Law
Tax Certiorari

Richard P. James is a partner at Mackenzie Hughes LLP practicing in the areas of tax certiorari, municipal law and litigation.

Richard has represented municipalities throughout New York State in disputes concerning real property taxation and assessment. He has served as special legal counsel to the County of Onondaga, the Cities of Syracuse and Oswego, and numerous towns throughout Upstate New York. Richard has experience with the taxation and valuation of many property types, including power plants, water systems, petroleum storage terminals, manufacturing facilities, airports, shopping malls, nursing homes, banks, apartment complexes, distribution centers, office buildings, hotels and estate properties. In addition, he has secured tax exemptions and multi-million dollar assessment reductions for private land owners.

He graduated with High Honors from Onondaga Community College, summa cum laude from the State University of New York at Geneseo and magna cum laude from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. While in law school, Richard received the State and Local Government Award, served as Publications Editor for the Buffalo Law Review and published an article on governmental immunity.

He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1990 and the United States District Court, Northern District of New York, in 1991. He is a member of the American, New York State, Onondaga County and Oswego County Bar Associations.

Richard has served his home town as Town Justice and as Chairman of its Zoning Board of Appeals. In 2008, he was appointed to serve a three year term as a member of the Board of Trustees of the New York State Lawyer Assistance Trust by the Honorable Judith S. Kay, the Chief Judge of New York State's highest court.

In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family, lifting weights and motor sports, especially riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.