Mr. Swiger began his legal career after graduating from the George Mason University-Antonin Scalia Law School with a Juris Doctor degree, with Distinction, in 1981. Before law school, he was a four year scholarship football player at Villanova University where he played offensive center and earned his undergraduate degree.
Following his legal education, Mr. Swiger worked as a law clerk to the United States District Court in Richmond, Virginia. Thereafter, he entered private practice and has primarily represented injured workers in Workers Compensation cases before the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission, the Court of Appeals of Virginia, and the Supreme Court of Virginia. Mr. Swiger is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
He has consistently received an AV peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell. For 2015, he was honored by Martindale-Hubbell by being awarded a Peer Review Rating of "AV Preeminent" for the 15th year in a row, the "Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards". He has been named a Best Lawyer in America from 2005-present. U.S. News & World Report - Best Lawyers in America recognized The Law Office of James E. Swiger, PLLC, in its first inaugural "Best Law Firms" report published on September 27, 2010. He was also named as a Best Lawyer by U.S. News and World Report in the area of Virginia Workers' Compensation Law.
The firm has also ranked in the top tier within the Washington metropolitan area for practice area of Virginia Workers' Compensation Law. Mr. Swiger is an Executive Committee Member of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Inn of Court(Master of the Bench). Jim and his wife, Vivian reside in Northern Virginia and are the proud parents of four children. Mr. Swiger is an active participant in his Church and his Community.
Mr. Swiger was recently named a Virginia Super Lawyer in the field of Workers' Compensation Law. He was also inducted as a Fellow of the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers Class of 2019 at its annual meeting in Coral Gables, Florida. Individuals inducted into the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers have proven to their peers, the bar, bench and public, with a minimum of twenty years of practice, that they possess the highest professional qualifications and ethical standards, character, integrity, professional expertise and leadership. They have a commitment to fostering and furthering the objectives of the College and have shown significant evidence of scholarship, teaching, lecturing and/or distinguished published writings on Workers' Compensation or released fields of law.