Marks Gray

Jim Rinaman attended the University of Florida, where he received his B.A. in 1955 and his L.L.B. in 1960. At the University, he was a member of Scabbard and Blade; the Hall of Fame; Florida Blue Key; Student Government Cabinet; Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity and was President of Phi Gamma Delta.

Mr. Rinaman served in the U.S. Army, Armor from 1955 to 1957 as 1st Lieutenant. He served in the Florida Army National Guard from 1957 to 1992 and retired as a Brigadier General, AUS. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Florida Cross.

Mr. Rinaman focuses his practice in the areas of civil practice in business, insurance, administrative and governmental law; and trial practice in commercial litigation and defense of products and professional liability, and other tort claims.

Mr. Rinaman has practiced law with Marks Gray since 1960. He is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer since 1983, and is a certified State and Federal Civil mediator. He was General Counsel for the Florida State Board of Architecture (1963 to 1979); Duval County Legislative Delegation (1965 to 1967); President of the Florida Senate (1967 to 1969); City of Jacksonville ( 1969 to 1971); and Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce (1974-1976, 1990).

He is a founder member of Lawyers for Civil Justice, Inc. which he served as President (1987 to 1991) and Chairman of the Board (1991 to 1993). He was a founder of the Florida Volunteer Lawyers Resource Center, Inc. which he served as President (1985 to 1990) and Chairman of the Board (1990 to 1993). Mr. Rinaman was a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates (1982 to 1988), and served on the Board of Directors of the Defense Research Institute (1975 to 1977 and 1980 to 1987). He was President of The Florida Bar in 1982, and served on its Board of Governors (1977 to 1983). He served on the Florida First District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission (1975 to 1979), and was its Chairman in 1979. He was the international President of the Association of Defense Trial Lawyers in 1976; President of the Jacksonville Bar Association (1973); and President of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association (1972). As a member of the National Institute of Municipal Law Officers, he served as Florida Chairman (1970 to 1971). He is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel since 1967 and served on the faculty of the IADC Trial Academy (1983).. Mr. Rinaman is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (1983); American Bar Foundation (1982); and the Florida Bar Foundation (1979), where he served on the Board of Directors from 1982 to 1985; and is a Founder Master of the Bench, Chester Bedell Inn, American Inns of Court and a Trustee of the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals Historical Society (2008 to date).

Mr. Rinaman is Chair of the Duval County Courthouse Design Review Committee, 2000 to date. He has been a member of the Board of Directors, American Red Cross, Northeast Florida Chapter since 1991, and was Chairman in 1996 and 1997. He was Chairman of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce (1993), and served on its Executive Council from 1974 to 1976, and since 1990. From 1995 through 2002, he was a Trustee of the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation. In 1986, he was President of the Meninak Civic Club. He was on the Advisory Board for the Junior League of Jacksonville from 1983 to 1986. Mr. Rinaman was a founder of the Jacksonville Community Council, Inc., in 1975, and was its President in 1985. In 1976 he was a Founder of Leadership Jacksonville, Inc and was its President (1983).. He was a member of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority from 1972 to 1980. From 1975-2010, he was Vice President and General Counsel for the American Bicentennial/Patriotic Commission of Jacksonville. He was President in 1968, of the University of Florida Alumni Association of Jacksonville and served on the Florida Alumni Association Board of Directors (1969-1985). He served the March of Dimes, Jacksonville Chapter, as President in 1967 and Chairman in 1968. Mr. Rinaman is a member of the San Jose Country Club, Southside United Methodist Church, and the Jacksonville Commodores League, which he served as Flag Commodore (2009).

Mr. Rinaman's publications include "Practice Guide: Florida Personal Injury,", 2 Volumes, Weatherington, Edson and Rinaman, Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Company, 1996; Revised 1998; "Compensatory Damages and Catastrophic Injury", Chapter 5, 1995 Products Liability Advisory Council, Damages Desk Book; Revised 1998; "Florida Practice Guide: Personal Injury," 2 Volumes, Hicks, Hoeveler and Rinaman, Callaghan & Company, 1988; Revised 1990, 1992, 1994; "The Tort Liability Systems: Overview for the Anesthesiologist," Chapter 6, "Safety and Cost Containment in Anesthesia" edited by J. S. Gravenstein, M. D. and James F. Holzer, J.D., Butterworth Publishers, Stoneham, MA 1988; "The Judge As A Witness", International Association of Defense Counsel, Legal Malpractice Committee Newsletter, July 1996; "Current Issues of Ethics for the Trial Lawyer," Florida Bar Trial Section Seminar April 15-16, 1993; "The Corporate Lawyer", Illinois Bar Section on Corporate Law, Volume 31, Number 2, January 1994; "Use of Inadvertently Disclosed Documents or Information," International Association of Defense Counsel Products Liability Newsletter, June, 1993; "Breakthroughs in Building Codes," 214 NIMLO, Municipal Law Review, Vol. 35B, 1972; "Denial of Use of City Facilities to Controversial Persons," 154 NIMLO, Municipal Law Review, Vol. 34B, 1971; "Preparation and Trial of Products Liability Cases," co-author, Defense Research Institute Monograph #11, Vol. 1971; re-printed, University of California, Hastings College of Law, Civil Advocates Manual 1971 and 1974 editions; revised edition; Defense Research Institute, Monograph, "Defense of a Products Case," 1978. Presented to Association of Insurance Attorneys, Atlanta, Georgia 1969; Oklahoma Defense Bar, 1970; South Carolina Defense Bar, 1971; Re-printed, University of California, Hastings College of Law, Civil Advocates Manual 1971 and 1974 editions; revised edition.

Mr. Rinaman's honors include Jacksonville Bar “Lawyer of the Year” 1994; The Florida Bar “Outstanding Past Bar Association President” in 1989; "The Best Lawyers in America" for Personal Injury since 1989 and Commercial Litigation since 1990; “Super Lawyers” for Business Litigation since 2002; “Leading American Attorneys” since 1999; The Florida Bar Foundation, Medal of Honor, 1988; American Judicature Society, Herbert Harley Award,  1987, and Special Merit Citation, 1986; The Florida Bar, Public Service Award, 1985; Who's Who in the World since 1993, Who's Who in America since 1985; Who's Who is American Law since 1976; Who's Who in the Southeast since 1975; and Outstanding Alumnus, University of Florida Alumni Club of Jacksonville in 1976.