TRIAL ATTORNEY  •  MAYOR OF ARLINGTON  •  FORMER UNITED STATES MARINE & POLICE OFFICER

Some careers are built around professions. Jim Ross has built his around service.

For more than four decades, Jim Ross has dedicated his life to serving others — as a United States Marine, an Arlington police officer, a trial attorney, an entrepreneur, and Mayor of Arlington, Texas. Each role has strengthened his commitment to integrity, preparation, leadership, and advocacy. Today, those experiences come together in the Jim Ross Law Group, where clients benefit from the perspective of someone who has protected his country, his community, and the rights of thousands of Texans.

Military Service

Jim served honorably in the United States Marine Corps from 1979 through 1983. The Marine Corps instilled the principles of honor, courage, commitment, accountability, and discipline that continue to define both his personal life and his legal practice. Those values remain evident in the way he prepares every case, serves every client, and approaches every leadership responsibility.

Law Enforcement Career

Following his military service, Jim joined the Arlington Police Department, where he served for thirteen years. During that time he became a member of Arlington’s first full-time SWAT team, served as an instructor at the Police Academy, and spent more than six years assigned to the DEA Task Force investigating narcotics trafficking. Those years gave him firsthand knowledge of criminal investigations, evidence collection, constitutional rights, courtroom testimony, and the practical realities of the justice system. Few attorneys begin their legal careers with that depth of law enforcement experience.

The Jim Ross Law Group

After years of serving the public in uniform, Jim pursued another calling — representing people through the practice of law. After earning his Juris Doctor and passing the Texas Bar Examination, he built a successful litigation career before founding the Jim Ross Law Group in 2009. Rather than viewing the law as simply a profession, he saw it as another opportunity to stand beside people during some of the most important and challenging moments of their lives.

He founded the firm on a straightforward philosophy: clients deserve exceptional legal representation, honest communication, and an attorney who is fully invested in their success. From its earliest days, the firm has been built around responsiveness, careful preparation, and a willingness to take difficult cases when justice requires it.

Jim approaches every matter as though it could ultimately be decided in a courtroom. That mindset drives thorough investigation, meticulous preparation, and strategic planning from the very beginning of a case. While many disputes are resolved through negotiation or settlement, preparing every case for trial often creates stronger negotiating positions and better outcomes for clients.

Throughout his legal career, Jim has represented individuals, families, entrepreneurs, and businesses across Texas. His experience as both a trial attorney and a business owner allows him to understand not only the legal issues clients face, but also the financial, operational, and personal consequences that often accompany them. Whether advising a business owner, protecting a family’s interests, or resolving a complex dispute, he focuses on practical solutions that support each client’s long-term goals.

Over the years, the Jim Ross Law Group has recovered tens of millions of dollars through verdicts and settlements on behalf of its clients. Jim believes those results are rooted not in chance, but in preparation, credibility, and persistence — gathering facts carefully, as he learned to do in law enforcement, and presenting them clearly and persuasively, as years in the courtroom have taught him.

Clients frequently describe Jim as approachable, honest, and direct. He believes informed clients make better decisions, so he takes the time to explain legal issues in plain language, outline available options, and develop strategies tailored to each situation. Every client receives the respect and personal attention they deserve, regardless of the size or complexity of the matter.

Public Service: Mayor of Arlington

After decades of serving Arlington as a Marine, police officer, attorney, and business owner, Jim answered another call to serve when he sought the office of Mayor. His campaign was rooted in the belief that thoughtful leadership, fiscal responsibility, public safety, and economic opportunity could help Arlington continue to thrive while preserving the values that make it a great place to live and work.

As the 31st Mayor of Arlington, Jim leads one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing cities. Working with the City Council, city management, business leaders, educators, healthcare providers, first responders, and residents, he helps guide decisions affecting transportation, infrastructure, public safety, economic development, parks, housing, and quality of life.

Arlington is recognized internationally for its entertainment district, professional sports venues, higher education institutions, and growing business community. Jim has championed responsible growth while supporting investment that creates jobs, attracts visitors, and strengthens the city’s tax base. His experience as an attorney and entrepreneur helps him understand the challenges facing employers, developers, and small businesses alike.

Jim’s leadership extends well beyond Arlington. He represents the city regionally on the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Tarrant Regional Transportation Council, helping shape transportation and economic policy throughout North Texas. Nationally, he represents Arlington as a Trustee of the United States Conference of Mayors, where he chairs the Veterans Affairs Task Force and serves as Co-Chair of the Infrastructure Law Implementation Task Force — collaborating with municipal leaders across the country on issues affecting veterans, infrastructure, economic competitiveness, and the future of America’s cities.

Serving as Mayor has deepened Jim’s understanding of municipal government, public policy, budgeting, regulatory processes, and intergovernmental cooperation. Clients benefit from an attorney who understands not only the law, but also how government decisions are made, how public agencies operate, and how complex public-private issues can be resolved.

Business Leadership

Jim has never limited his commitment to Arlington to public service alone. He has invested personally in the city’s future by building businesses that contribute to its economy, create jobs, and enhance its reputation as a destination for dining, entertainment, and hospitality.

In November 2017, Jim opened Mercury Chophouse – Arlington, bringing an upscale steakhouse experience to Arlington’s Entertainment District. The restaurant has become a destination for residents, visitors, business leaders, and special events. In 2023, he expanded his investment in the city by opening Hearsay Arlington, an elegant restaurant and lounge inside historic Choctaw Stadium that blends historic architecture with contemporary dining.

Owning and operating successful businesses has given Jim firsthand knowledge of the opportunities and challenges entrepreneurs face every day — hiring employees, negotiating contracts, managing risk, complying with regulations, serving customers, and controlling costs. Unlike many attorneys who advise businesses solely from a legal perspective, he approaches legal issues with an owner’s mindset, balancing legal risk against operational realities and long-term business objectives. Whether advising a startup, negotiating a contract, or helping an established company protect its interests, he appreciates the financial and strategic consequences behind every legal decision.

Community Leadership

Throughout every stage of his career, Jim has believed that leadership carries a responsibility to serve others. Long before becoming Mayor, he dedicated countless hours to civic and charitable organizations that improve the quality of life in Arlington — not merely through financial support, but by accepting leadership positions that required collaboration, strategic planning, and long-term stewardship.

He has served on the boards of the Arlington Police Foundation, the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the Margarita Society, Special Olympics Texas, and the American Heart Association, and he is a proud member of the American Legion. These organizations reflect his lifelong values — public safety, economic development, service to veterans, support for individuals with disabilities, improved health outcomes, and stronger communities.

Years of nonprofit, civic, and governmental leadership have strengthened Jim’s ability to solve complex problems by bringing diverse stakeholders together. Clients benefit from an attorney who understands consensus building, organizational governance, budgeting, strategic planning, and collaborative leadership — and who brings perspective, patience, and practical judgment to difficult legal matters.

Family, Values, and Legacy

Jim is a devoted family man, the proud father of four children and grandfather of six. Family has always been the foundation of his life, shaping both the values he lives by and the decisions he makes. His desire to build a stronger Arlington is rooted in creating opportunities for future generations to live, work, and thrive in a vibrant community.

Although his career has carried him from military service to law enforcement, the courtroom, City Hall, and business ownership, the principles that guide him have remained remarkably consistent: integrity, accountability, preparation, respect, compassion, and service. As a Marine he served his country; as a police officer he protected his community; as an attorney he advocates for his clients; as an entrepreneur he invests in Arlington’s future; and as Mayor he helps lead one of America’s premier cities. Different roles, but always the same purpose — serving people.

Clients often seek legal counsel during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, and they deserve an attorney who understands not only the law but also responsibility, leadership, and the importance of earning trust. That commitment continues every day through the Jim Ross Law Group, where the mission remains simple: provide exceptional legal representation, protect what matters most, and help clients move confidently toward a better future.

Quick Facts

• United States Marine (1979–1983)
• Former Arlington Police Officer (13 years)
• Member, Arlington’s first full-time SWAT Team
• DEA Task Force Investigator
• Founder, Jim Ross Law Group (2009)
• 31st Mayor of Arlington, Texas
• Owner, Mercury Chophouse – Arlington
• Owner, Hearsay Arlington
• Father of four; grandfather of six

Career Timeline

Professional Affiliations & Leadership

• United States Conference of Mayors — Trustee; Chair, Veterans Affairs Task Force; Co-Chair, Infrastructure Law Implementation Task Force
• Arlington Tomorrow Foundation
• Gene and Jerry Jones Family Arlington Youth Foundation
• National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation
• Texas Municipal League
• North Texas Commission
• Tarrant County Workforce Governing Board
• Downtown Arlington Management Corporation
• North Central Texas Council of Governments — Regional Transportation Council
• Tarrant Regional Transportation Council
• Former board member: Arlington Police Foundation, Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Margarita Society, Special Olympics Texas, American Heart Association
• Member, American Legion

Related Links

• Jim Ross Law Group — https://jimrosslaw.com
• Mercury Chophouse – Arlington — https://mercurychophouse.com
• Hearsay Arlington — https://hearsayarlington.com