Remembering James Lee Thompson
“Throughout his career, Thompson strove to improve and elevate the profession.
FORMER MARYLAND STATE BAR ASSOCIATION (MSBA) PRESIDENT
James “Jim” Thompson passed away on December 27, 2025. He was 84.
Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.
He began his legal career in 1966 as a judge advocate general (JAG) Officer in the United States Marine Corps. In 1970, Thompson joined the law firm of Miller, Miller & Canby, where he spent his entire legal career.
Thompson was an active MSBA member and served as MSBA president during the 1999–2000 bar year. In 2018, MSBA selected Thompson as the Senior Lawyer of the Year. He participated in numerous MSBA professional excursions and also mentored new attorneys through the Young Lawyers Section.
Known as a formidable trial attorney, Thompson was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 1986, an organization that recognizes only the top 1% of trial lawyers in Maryland. He was also a proud early member of the Owners’ Counsel of America, a national organization of preeminent eminent domain attorneys.
Throughout his career, Thompson strove to improve and elevate the profession. He played an instrumental role in the creation of the Southern Division of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and contributed to the Designated Conciliator Program in Montgomery County. Additionally, Thompson provided pro bono legal advice in his community and served as chair of the Lawyers’ Division for the United Way of Montgomery County.
Thompson was widely respected for his courtesy, integrity, and unwavering professionalism, as evidenced by his receipt of the Century of Service Award, which recognized one of the 32 most influential legal figures in Montgomery County during the 20th century.
Thompson will be remembered for his staunch advocacy and tireless commitment to the legal profession in Maryland.