Practice Areas
Professional Background
Professional Vision
James B. Sheils, a resident of Dennis, concentrates his practice in the area of commercial finance. He is a graduate of Boston College Law School (1975) where he received the Presidential Service Award and was the recipient of the John F. Cremens Award for legal services work. Mr. Sheils also attended The College of the Holy Cross, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and cum laude honors (1972). He has been awarded by the Goodwill Industries of the Pioneer Valley – John Auchter Award (2012) – and has been recognized as a leader in the law by selection to the Super Lawyers List (2015–2023), The Best Lawyers in America© list (2015–2024) and a Boston Globe Top Rated Lawyer. He was also Town Moderator for the Town of East Longmeadow for many years.
Education
- Boston College Law School, J. D., 1975; recipient, John F. Cremens Award
- College of the Holy Cross, A. B., cum laude, 1972
Highlights
Bar Associations
- Massachusetts Bar Association
Admitted to Practice
- 1975, Massachusetts
- 1977, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
- 1983, U.S. Supreme Court
Honors and Awards
- Best Lawyers® in America, 2015 - 2025
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers, 2015 - 2023
- Boston Globe, Top Rated Lawyers
- Goodwill Industries of the Pioneer Valley John Auchter Award, 2012
- America's Most Honored Lawyers—Top 1%, 2021 - 2023
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating, 2023, 2024
Community Activities
- Member, Board of Directors (Chairman 1988–1994), Goodwill Industries of the Pioneer Valley, Inc., 1977–2018
- Member, Board of Directors, Massachusetts Moderators Association, 2005–2010
- Town moderator, Town of East Longmeadow, MA, 2004–2016
- Member, Massachusetts Advisory Council, U.S. Small Business Administration, 1985–1987
- Member, 1983–1987, and Chairman, 1984–1987, East Longmeadow Zoning Board of Appeals
- Director, Smaller Business Association of New England, 1983–1985
- Member, Advisory Board, Salvation Army, Hyannis, MA
News & Speaking Engagements
- Attorney James B. Sheils earns 2022 Best Lawyers® distinction
- James B. Sheils Selected to the 2020 Massachusetts Super Lawyers List
- Attorney James B. Sheils selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021
- James B. Sheils Earns 2019 Best Lawyers in America© Distinction
- James B. Sheils Selected to the 2016 Massachusetts Super Lawyers List
- James B. Sheils Selected for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2017
- James B. Sheils Selected for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2016
- “Intercreditor Agreements: With These Documents, Understand All the Caps, Wraps, and Traps”, BusinessWest, February 2015
- Attorney James B. Sheils Receives Top Honors in National Publication
- “The TOUSA Tussle,” BusinessWest, August 2012
- “What’s in a Name? Plenty,” BusinessWest, December 2011
- “Don’t Get Left Picking up the Check, UCC Articles 3 and 4,” MCLE, 1984 (co-author)
- “Massachusetts Collection Law,” Butterworth Press, 1983 (co-author)
- “What the General Practitioner Needs to Know About Consumer Protection in Massachusetts,” MCLE, 1982
- “Counseling Low and Moderate Income Clients,” MCLE, 1978 (co-author)
- March 10, 2015 – Speaker at the Real Estate Bar Association (REBA) of Massachusetts
- July, 2018 – Parliamentarian, Annual Meeting of International Jugglers’ Association
