James M. Hunnicutt
Driven to provide his clients with the best possible results, Jim (he/him) has a great deal of experience mediating and arbitrating disputes which tends to reduce legal costs and provide quicker outcomes. When those tactics fail to resolve a matter, Jim is skilled in the courtroom fighting for his clients’ rights. Recognizing that the legal arena is unfamiliar territory for most people, Jim goes out of his way to explain matters and answer questions in a friendly, timely, and patient fashion. Jim resides with his wife and two children in Salt Lake City.
Honors
American College of Family Trial Lawyers, Diplomate, 2023 - present
AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated (the highest rating available), by Martindale-Hubbell, 2011-present
International Academy of Family Lawyers, fellow, 2021 - present
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, fellow, 2018 - present (Mountain States Chapter’s current president)
Avvo Rating 10
Practice Areas
Divorce (division of marital property and debts, alimony, etc.)
Child custody & visitation (including international disputes)
Paternity/parentage
Prenuptial & postnuptial agreements
Protective orders & civil stalking injunctions
Adoptions
LGBTQ+ family law issues
Education
Boston College Law School, J.D. 2000, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, Law Review
Dartmouth College, B.A. 1997, John E. Johnson Journalism Award
Skyline High School, 1994, National Merit Scholar, Sterling Scholar (English)
Professional & Community Involvement
Utah Judicial Council’s Family Law Procedures Subcommittee (2020-present)
Utah State Bar CLE Advisory Committee (2019-present)
Utah State Bar Family Law Section Executive Committee (2017-present)
Utah Journal of Family Law, Editor (2017-present)
Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure (member 2015-2023, emeritus member 2023-present)
“And Justice For All,” Utah legal aid organization, Executive Committee (2015-present)
Utah State Bar Fund for Client Protection Committee (2015-2019)
Aldon J. Anderson American Inn of Court (2015-present)
Domestic Commissioner Pro Se Calendar, Volunteer Attorney (2014-present)
Private Guardian ad Litem (2009-2022)
Utah Department of Health: Rape Prevention & Education Grant Committee (2010-2012)
Utah Dating Violence Task Force (2009-2012)
Utah State Bar Courts & Judges Committee (2007-2009)
Publications
Hague Convention Actions: A Nuts-and-Bolts Primer, Utah Journal of Family Law, Vol. 5, pp. 41-62 (2018).
Another Reason to Reform the Federal Regulatory System: Agencies Treating Nonlegislative Rules as Binding Law, Boston College Law Review, Vol. 41, pp. 153-93 (1999)
Expert Witness Experience
State v. Bott, 2023, expert witness regarding divorce aspects for a criminal matter before the Utah Court of Appeals; client prevailed
Carleton v. Szigeti, 2022, expert witness regarding Hague Convention actions in Utah federal district court in matter before the District Court of Miskolc, Hungary; client prevailed
Fox v. Fox, 2018, expert witness regarding Utah and U.S. family law in matter before the English High Court, London, UK; court relied upon input in this neutral assignment
Speaking Engagements
Utah District Court Spring Conference - May 3, 2024, Bryce Canyon, Utah
Presented before audience of Judges and Domestic Commissioners regarding recent amendments to Utah statutes pertaining to child custody and supervised visitation.
AAML Mountain States Chapter Annual Meeting - Jun. 11, 2022, Bozeman, Montana
Co-presented on "Alimony – Need, Ability to Pay, Ways to Divide Deficit, Fault, Underemployment, Burden of Proof"
Utah State Bar Family Law Section Annual Family Law Seminar - Jun. 3, 2022, Salt Lake City, Utah
Panel speaker, "When Enough is Enough: Discovery in Family Law Cases"
Utah State Bar Spring Convention - Apr. 21, 2022, Virtual Presentation, Utah
Co-presented with Domestic Commissioner on "A Dialogue on Rule 26 Issues and Updates" Co-presented with Domestic Commissioner"
Utah Judicial Conference - Mar. 24, 2022, Moab, Utah
Panel speaker before audience of Judges and Domestic Commissioners regarding Utah alimony law
30th Annual Utah Fellows of the AAML Seminar - Dec. 3, 2021, Salt Lake City, Utah
Panel speaker debating new case law Johansen v. Johansen, 2021 UT App 130
Utah AFCC Conference - Feb. 21, 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah
Co-presented with Domestic Commissioners about new Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 109
Utah State Bar Family Law Section CLE - Apr. 19, 2019, Salt Lake City, Utah
Co-presented with Domestic Commissioner on "The Coming Rule: Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 109 and What You Need to Know as a Domestic Practitioner"
BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School - Apr. 8, 2019, Provo, Utah
Acted as a Domestic Commissioner for mock temporary orders hearing
AAML Mountain States Chapter Annual Meeting - Jun. 15, 2018, Park City, Utah
Presented on "Updates in Hague Convention Law"
Utah State Bar Summer Convention - Jul. 29, 2017, Sun Valley, Idaho
Co-presented with David S. Dolowitz on "67 Years of Family Law Success in 60 Minutes"
Dartmouth Lawyers Association Annual Meeting - Feb. 14-15, 2017, Banff, Alberta
Panel speaker, "The Top Twenty Questions that Lawyers, and Clients, Ask Domestic Lawyers"
Panel speaker, "Same Sex Marriages - Special Issues"
Panel speaker, "Children’s Issues in Divorce: Custody, Geographical Restriction, and Modifications"
Univ. of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law - Feb. 25, 2016, Salt Lake City, Utah
Guest Speaker, Family Law Practice Lab
24th Annual Utah Fellows of the AAML Seminar - Dec. 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah
Panel leader, "Private Guardian ad Litem: Tips and Insights"
12th Annual Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Medicaid Planning Seminar - May 8, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah
Panel speaker, "Resolving Estate Disputes - Mediation, Litigation or Otherwise / Panel Presentation - Our Top Tips"
20th Annual Utah Fellows of the AAML Seminar - Dec. 2, 2011, Salt Lake City, Utah
Panel speaker, "Mastering Mediation Preparation in Divorce"
Past Professional Experience
Law Firm of Hunnicutt & Curtis, PLLC, Salt Lake City, Utah, managing member 2009-2011
Law Firm of Rooker Rawlins, LLP, Salt Lake City, Utah, associate 2001-2005, partner 2005-2009
U.S. District Court, Bangor, Maine, law clerk 2000-2001
AV® Preeminent™ and BV® Distinguished™ are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the Bar and the Judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.