Jim P. Mahacek

Jim P. Mahacek, a member of the California State Bar Committee on Appellate Courts from 2003 to 2006, is a Certified Appellate Specialist. His practice emphasizes complex civil appeals from civil trials, insurance bad faith, partnership dissolution, and general business matters.

Mr. Mahacek was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on June 15, 1947. He received his B.S. in English literature from the University of South Dakota in 1969, together with a J.D. from Pepperdine University in 1977. In addition, Mr. Mahacek is a graduate of the Naval Justice School, Newport, Rhode Island, and the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College.

In law school, Mr. Mahacek was a winner of the Bancroft-Whitney Award for Excellence In Tort Law. He has been an instructor in legal writing for the University of California, Irvine, Extension Division; served as a Judge Pro Tem of the Orange County Court; and has been a CLE Instructor for Lohrman Education Services and for the State CEB. He has participated as a Distinguished Speaker in Appellate Oral Advocacy at Chapman School of Law. Mr. Mahacek has taught appellate practice at the State Bar Convention in Monterey, California and three times been on the faculty of the Orange County Bar’s College of Appellate Advocacy. He has also served as Section Chair, Program Chair, and Communications Chair of the Orange County Appellate Section. The Peter Elliot Inn of Court has designated Mr. Mahacek as “Master of the Bench.” Mr. Mahacek has taught appellate law for the Orange County Bar Association and for various Inns of Court.