A Message From Chairman David Boies
Earlier today our long-time partner and Firm leader Jim Miller passed away peacefully at his second home in Florence, Italy. His wife Barbara, and his children, including our partner Charles, were with him.
As many of you know, Jim has been a close friend for more than 60 years. We met as first year law students, and we and our families have been together ever since. We biked together in Europe, sailed together in the Caribbean, went to shows together on Broadway and in Las Vegas, and gambled together wherever we could find a casino. In 1988, our families spent the week after Christmas in St. Thomas; I had one grandchild, he had none. Our families have spent that week together somewhere warm every year since; last year we had 19 grandchildren between us.
Jim grew up and went to school in the Northeast and Midwest, but when he graduated from law school, he accepted a position with a firm in South Florida. Shortly after Jim had moved with his young family to Miami and started work, the firm’s senior partner asked Jim to file an affidavit that Jim knew was misleading. Despite having no other contacts in Florida, and despite being the sole support for his wife, baby daughter, and son on the way, Jim walked out of that firm that day and opened his own firm in Hollywood, Florida.
In the beginning, he had no other lawyer, and not even a secretary. But through hard work, ability, and devotion to his clients, Jim built first a local, then a regional, and then a leading national family law practice. His clients included leading business, sports, and entertainment figures and their spouses from New York to California and everywhere in between. Shortly after Jonathan and I formed our Firm, we persuaded Jim to join us. He established and led our Family Law Practice for many years until he was succeeded by Charles.
Jim was an outstanding lawyer. But what we all remember most is Jim, the person.
Jim was larger than life. No one was more enjoyable and entertaining to be with or listen to. No one had more friends; I can’t count the number of you who have called about Jim over the last few days. No one was more respected for his character and integrity. No one was more devoted to his family, his friends, or his firm.
We will miss him. A lot.
David Boies
November 10, 2023