JAMES H. BROWN

James H. Brown’s lifelong commitment to advocating for seriously injured individuals and their families is rooted in firsthand experience.

Born into a family of legendary Alberta athletes, Brown’s future was thrown into uncertainty at just seven years old when a rare hip condition left him bedridden for a year and confined to a wheelchair for another. Despite these early challenges, he made a full recovery and went on to excel in sports—particularly hockey—demonstrating a resilience that would come to define his life and career.

In 1963, while still underage, Brown was called up to join the Edmonton Oil Kings during their Memorial Cup run against the Niagara Falls Flyers. Playing alongside future Hockey Hall of Famers Pat Quinn and Glen Sather, Brown helped the Oil Kings capture the franchise’s first Memorial Cup championship.

Following the victory, Brown continued pursuing his hockey career with the Oil Kings. That dream, however, came to an abrupt end at age 19 when he suffered a broken neck in a head-on collision caused by a drunk driver. The long and painful recovery that followed—including spinal fusion surgery—permanently ended his time on the ice. It was during this period that Brown made the pivotal decision to study law at the University of Alberta, driven by a desire to help others facing the same life-altering circumstances he had endured.

Brown’s journey back to health gave him a deep understanding of the physical, emotional, and psychological toll serious injuries take on individuals and their families. That experience became the foundation of his legal philosophy and the driving force behind his advocacy for accident victims.

Over the decades that followed, James H. Brown established himself as a highly respected and determined injury lawyer, known for his tenacity, compassion, and results. In 1993, he founded James H. Brown and Associates, formalizing his mission to stand up for the rights of injured persons and to ensure they had a powerful voice when they needed it most.

Beyond the courtroom, Brown’s commitment to community impact has remained central to his work. Throughout his career, James H. Brown and Associates has proudly supported organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, STARS, Spinal Cord Injury Alberta, the Brain Care Centre, and numerous other groups dedicated to improving outcomes for accident victims and their families.

Throughout his career, James H. Brown has been recognized with numerous honours, including:

• 2003, 2009 Canadian Parapeligic Association Corporate Leadership Award
• 2014 Alberta Civil Trial Lawyer’s Association Champion of Justice Award – Awarded to a member of the community who has championed the causes of justice, thereby protecting and furthering the rights of the individual.
• 2016 Brain Care Centre Honours for Two Decades of Support

In 2010, following his wife Jeanie’s diagnosis with ALS, Jim retired from active practice and entrusted the firm to his son, Trent Brown—passing on not only the leadership of the firm, but a legacy built on compassion, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to helping people rebuild their lives. Trent has since elevated the firm to a new level, expanding its reach, strengthening its reputation, and redefining what client-centred injury law looks like in Alberta.