Jim Flynn elected as new leader at Bricker & Eckler

The partners at Bricker & Eckler LLP today announced that James F. Flynn will become the firm’s next Managing Partner effective February 1, 2018. He will succeed Kurt Tunnell, who announced last month that he will be stepping away from the firm and from the practice of law to pursue other interests.

Jim Flynn was elected by a vote of the firm’s partners on Monday, September 11. Kurt will continue in that role until the February 1, 2018 effective date of Jim’s term.

“Jim is an outstanding attorney who has a long history of leadership within the firm, especially as it relates to building a strong team of legal talent,” said Kurt Tunnell, the firm’s current managing partner. “He is ideally suited to take our firm into the next phase of its growth and development. I look forward to working beside him over the next few months as I finish my term and he takes the lead.”

Jim has served as chair of the firm’s nationally recognized Health Care group since 2012, and has devoted his entire 27-year career to Bricker & Eckler and the practice of health care law.  During his time with the firm, he has been heavily involved in the recruitment of attorneys for the firm. His service includes more than 20 years of service to the firm’s Recruiting, Lateral Hire, Lateral Onboarding and Summer Associate Committees. Jim has also served on the firm’s Executive Committee from 2002 to 2006, and again in 2017.

“I love where we are at Bricker & Eckler – a firm with full-service capabilities large firms traditionally offer, such as litigation, business, employment and tax, while also possessing unique and deep bench strength in more niched areas such as health care, energy, education, public finance and construction. That combination is unique and differentiates us from other firms,” said Jim. “What motivates me the most is being part of a great team, and doing anything and everything I can to help that team be great.  I’ve enjoyed doing that as a part of the Health Care team these past 27 years.  Now I want to see what I can do for the rest of our firm.”

“Jim has provided trusted counsel to OHA and hospitals across Ohio for many years.  His leadership and problem-solving skills will serve him well as he assumes the important role as managing partner of Bricker & Eckler,” said Mike Abrams, president and CEO of the Ohio Hospital Association. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with Jim and the firm as it turns the page on a new chapter in its storied history.”

Jim has a long history of service and leadership in both the central Ohio community and in the legal profession. Within months of starting his legal career in 1990, he got involved in the formation of a non-profit organization – then known as “Christmas in April,” and now known as “Rebuilding Together Columbus.”  For the past three years, he has been a Board member for the American Health Lawyers Association, the leading trade association for health care attorneys in the country.  For the past four years, he has served on the Board for the Cristo Rey Columbus High School Professional Work Study Program.  For 12 years prior to that, he served on the Board, including two years as Chair, for the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Ohio.  He is also a graduate of Leadership Columbus.  In his spare time, he has coached a number of youth sports teams in the central Ohio community.

Jim’s health care practice focuses on the representation of health care providers, such as hospitals and health systems, long-term care facilities, physician groups, and health information exchanges.  His expertise includes transactional, regulatory, governance, reimbursement-related, health planning and long-term care matters.  He joined the firm in 1989 as a summer associate, and began his legal career in 1990 after earning his law degree at the University of Notre Dame. He also received his bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame. During his time at Notre Dame, Jim played four years of varsity soccer, serving as captain in 1989.   He also served as a graduate assistant coach for three years while attending law school.

Jim has been awarded a number of recognitions, including Best Lawyers in America’s Columbus Lawyer of the Year in Health Care Law in 2015 and 2018 and a Band 1 ranking by Chambers USA in Health Care Law since 2013.