James received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Hendrix College, and his Juris Doctorate, with honors, from UA Little Rock Bowen School of Law. He is admitted to all state and federal courts in both Arkansas and Missouri. James has been involved in the mortgage industry since 2004, having spent twelve years with a mortgage servicer in MSR acquisitions and sales, foreclosure, and litigation. James is active in the ALFN industry group, often speaking on national industry trends, and was a co-chair of its JPEG group focusing on the development of the next generation of industry leaders.