Law Practice

James Leonard Elsman is a Michigan lawyer and counselor who does primarily litigation, but has done work all over the United States and the world, having practiced for nearly 40 years, beginning in 1963, with Chrysler Corporation's Internal Legal Dept., and being engaged in many famous cases, including two (2) before the U.S. Supreme Court.

He is a Christian, and an ordained minister who preaches the Gospel worldwide, and marries and buries. Since his days at Harvard Divinity School, he has believed that one's life work must be integrated with one's Judeo-Christian faith. Hence, this website is so-named, JesusLawyer.com. Elsman admits that being a Christian in business, law, and commerce is very difficult, personally. Added to that is the persecution that comes from asserting Judeo-Christian beliefs in a post-Christian Age, as some commentators have observed.

Further, the religious Christians and Jews that he serves in his practice are not always the easiest to get along with, on such issues of honest behavior, paying fees to lawyers, etc. However, Elsman wishes believers in the Bible to have a lawyer that understands the Bible as authority in faith and conduct, and the firm has been able to be of service in very delicate matters involving Believers, e.g. Divorce questions, settling Estates, etc.

Regarding serving non-believers, of course, the Elsman Firm chooses which cases it takes, but serves many other faiths, especially Jews and Muslims and the Far Eastern religions, even cults within Christendom. However, one cannot conceive of a case where Elsman would be pro-Homosexuality or, pro-Abortion. Those clients should seek help elsewhere, not the people, but such cases.

Regarding serving Criminals that Elsman is certain did the Murder or act charged, no, Elsman would not take such cases, unless a higher issue was involved, but Elsman believes that all Defendants are innocent until the Government proves them guilty, and Elsman does not always believe the Government is here to help us.

Elsman was born Methodist, served as a Congregational Minister while at Harvard Divinity School, served as a sexton living in a Presbyterian Church in Law School, married in the Catholic Church, and was educated as an adult in the Baptist-Assembly traditions. He studied under Holy Hubert Lindsey, the "Father of the Jesus Movement" in the 1960's, and still recognizes that Ministry. Elsman describes himself as "a non-denominational Bible-Believer. Period. Jesus did not start any denominations, but a Church."

Besides his Law Practice, which takes "120%" of Elsman's time, he owns properties and a Christian Radio Station. He is 64 years old.

Three (3) Cases of recent national and international media coverage and interest, show the breadth of Elsman's practice in Lawsuit matters:

1. Federal Court case against Ossama bin Laden, the militant Islamic terrorist, for killing Americans in several incidents around the world. Several Defendants are named, including the leading Islamic terrorist groups. CNN covered this.

2. Release of Evangelist "Bobby Bible" Engel from an Israeli prison, after he was arrested by Palestinians in Bethlehem on the eve of the year 2000. No lawsuit proved necessary, as negotiations secured his release.

3. Landmark "Proxy Divorce" case of Keller v. Keller in Michigan. The was covered by "Inside Edition", The National Inquirer, etc., besides Michigan media. The appeal issue is: "Can a Spouse get a divorce when she is comatose, and her Guardian brother sues the Husband for Divorce?" There are many issues of love, sex, money, and power, but the essential issue is that the Wife never consented to the Divorce. Elsman is trying to preserve the sanctity of the institution of Marriage, representing the Husband.

What follows is the exact 1998 listing of Martindale - Hubbell, the Nation's leading publication of Lawyer Professional Directories: