James has nearly 50 years of experience representing business owners, buyers and sellers, investors, and entrepreneurs in a wide variety of Business and Real Estate matters. He also works with business owners and individuals regarding business succession planning, including Estate Planning and Probate matters. James has a unique background which gives him the ability to look at all sides of a situation. On the Real Estate side, he was legal counsel and owner of a title company. Mr. Weprin takes the time to understand each unique business and is dedicated to helping business clients minimize risks, maximize opportunities, and move their businesses forward. He advises both publicly-traded and private companies with regard to contract and sales transactions, employment matters, incorporation, dissolution, and corporate regulation and compliance. If a business owner is purchasing property, James knows what details should be in the contract. On the Estate Planning side of his practice, James brings the experience of being a former Magistrate of the local Probate Court. He counsels business owners about their business development, growth, and long-term plans. He understands that there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to developing a succession plan. He will work to develop an exit strategy that provides clients with the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their life’s work is in good hands and will not get tied up in probate court. When business disputes arise, he has extensive experience representing clients in civil trials, hearings, arbitrations, and mediation before administrative agencies and federal, state, and local courts. He will work with clients through dispute resolution processes such as mediation and negotiation. However, when an amicable agreement cannot be reached, he is prepared to aggressively litigate the matter in court.

James A. Dearie has been a practicing attorney since 1993. He has represented clients in civil, criminal, and traffic cases at all levels of the Ohio court system, including the Ohio Supreme Court. He is an active member of the Warren County Criminal Justice Board and the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He currently serves as a Member of the City Council of Lebanon, Ohio Jim was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1990, he graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame, with a BA in Economics. In 1993, he graduated with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law. After graduating law school, Jim served a one-year clerkship with a U.S. District Court Judge in Montgomery, Alabama. He then served four years in the U.S. Army as a Captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Upon leaving the Army in 1999, Jim went into private practice, representing business and individual clients throughout southwestern Ohio. He currently serves on the executive committee of the Warren County Criminal Justice Board, and on the respective board of directors for the Elizabeth’s New Life Center and the Mary, Seat of Wisdom, High School Studies Group, Inc. "I built a successful law practice by ensuring that I am always available to answer my clients' questions about their cases. I am available during the business day, and clients who call my practice during nonbusiness hours will be forwarded to my cell phone so that I can be reached at all times. I am always happy to consult with potential new clients free of charge. One thing that differentiates me from other lawyers in my community is my four years of active service in the United States Army. While in the Army, I graduated from the Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and I represented countless soldiers at courts-martial and administrative separation boards at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. I am very involved in my community outside of my law practice. I am a member of the City Council of Lebanon, Ohio. I sit on the executive committee of the Warren County Criminal Justice Board. I am active in my local church, my local crisis pregnancy center, my children's homeschool group, and I coach many of my children's soccer teams. I still pay soccer myself at the Lebanon YMCA."