Professional Experience

Meet James Buikema, Criminal Defense Attorney at Hirsch Law Group. With over seven years of experience in criminal law, James began his career as a prosecutor in Indianapolis, where he regularly conducted both bench and jury trials. This courtroom experience shaped him into a proactive and strategic defense attorney. James anticipates the prosecution’s arguments — because he’s made them himself. Licensed in both Illinois and Indiana, James has secured numerous not-guilty verdicts in both states, defending clients in cases ranging from domestic battery, sex crimes, and DUIs to serious felonies and traffic offenses. He brings courtroom confidence, sharp legal insight, and a fierce commitment to protecting the rights of the accused.

Areas of Practice

  • Domestic Battery
  • Orders of Protection
  • DUI
  • Misdemeanors
  • Felonies
  • Traffic

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois: 2023
  • Indiana: 2017

Education

  • Northern Illinois University College of Law, J.D. – 2016
  • Northern Illinois University, B.S. – 2012
    • Major: Political Science, Public Law
    • Minor: Philosophy

Professional Associations

  • Winnebago County Bar Association
  • McHenry County Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • American Bar Association