SYRACUSE, NY – Richard P. James, a partner at Mackenzie Hughes LLP, has been appointed by the Honorable Judith S. Kaye, the Chief Judge of New York State’s Highest Court, to serve a three year term as a member of the Board of Trustees of the New York State Lawyer Assistance Trust.
The Lawyer Assistance Trust provides statewide leadership and financial assistance to programs which provide education, research, treatment and prevention services related to mental health, alcohol and substance dependency issues among judges, attorneys and law students. The Trust’s Board of Trustees is comprised of 21 members from around New York State. James has spent his entire legal career at Mackenzie Hughes as a litigation attorney who has been very active in pro bono activities.
For close to twenty years, he has represented municipalities and private parties throughout New York State in various types of disputes, with an emphasis on disputes related to real property tax assessment. In addition to representing individuals, he has served as special legal counsel to Onondaga County, the City of Syracuse, the City of Oswego, and many towns and school districts. James previously served as a town justice and as a chairman of the Board of Appeals in the Town of Constantia, where he currently resides.
James earned degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, State University of New York at Geneseo, and Onondaga Community College. He is a graduate of Cicero High School.
The Mackenzie Hughes firm traces its roots back to 1884, and over the years, its client roster has read like a veritable “Who’s Who” of Central New York businesses, including the original New Process Gear, Smith Corona Typewriter and Standard Oil companies. Today, the firm’s client list includes successful local companies and municipalities including the City of Syracuse, M & T Bank, the Oneida Indian Nation/Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Key Bank, RBS Citizens Bank, Alliance Bank, Adirondack Bank, CENTRO, Pyramid Companies, O’Brien & Gere Engineers, C&S Engineers, Stearns & Wheeler, Cazenovia College, Crouse Hospital, Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company, Tully Hill Rehabilitation, RobsonWoese, Empower Federal Credit Union, SeaComm Federal Credit Union, Pinnacle Investments LLC, Unity Mutual Life Insurance, OP-TECH Environmental Services, Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District, the Village of Manlius, the Village of Cleveland and the Town of Van Buren.
One of the firm’s namesakes, William A. Mackenzie practiced law in Syracuse for 49 years. The other, Senator John H. Hughes, was a dominant figure in Central New York civic and political affairs. Eight of the firm’s lawyers have been elected or appointed to judgeships. As one of the state’s most respected and influential business law firms, Mackenzie Hughes’ reputation is based on its exceptional expertise in business and corporate law, including labor, finance, immigration, health care, real estate, land use, environmental and municipal services law. Its Internet address is www.mackenziehughes.com.