JAMES L. FRANCESCONI
Of Council

BACKGROUND Jim came to Portland as a young Stanford graduate to work as a community volunteer at St. Andrews church in Northeast Portland. After law school, Jim started a litigation law firm and ran it successfully for 18 years. 

Jim won election to the Portland City Council in 1997 where he served for 8 years. His responsibilities included managing Portland Parks & Recreation, Portland Department of Transportation and Fire & Emergency Services.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Government and Public Affairs
• Small Business Development
• Business to Government Solutions
• Personal Injury

Currently, Jim offers both consulting and legal services to businesses seeking to either start or expand their businesses in Oregon. He is also assisting educational institutions such as the University of Portland, Portland Community College and Warner Pacific College as they seek to expand their facilities and services. 

Jim has been retained by a coalition of owners, developers, contractors, unions, schools and community groups to develop a strategy to improve and expand the construction workforce and to diversify the construction trades.

Jim also is assisting the Governor of Oregon on education and workforce issues.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Oregon State Bar
• Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP Jim currently is a member of the United Way Board, the Portland Business Alliance’s Education Committee, the Portland Regional Business Plan and the Board of Higher Education for the State of Oregon. His past awards include the Skanner’s Drum Major for Justice Award.