James W. Keeling
James W. Keeling
Partner
He/Him
"If my family needed legal representation, Hinshaw would be the firm I would choose. The attorneys here deliver excellent counsel, with care, fairness, and a strong sense of ethics."
James W. Keeling
Partner
He/Him
"If my family needed legal representation, Hinshaw would be the firm I would choose. The attorneys here deliver excellent counsel, with care, fairness, and a strong sense of ethics."
About Jim
Jim focuses his business law practice on organizational and transactional matters, including mergers, acquisitions, and real estate development. He advises closely held and family-owned businesses and their owners on ownership relations, succession planning, and related estate and financial planning.
Jim has held several leadership roles at Hinshaw, including practice group leader of the national Commercial Transactions Practice Group. He was also partner-in-charge of the firm's Rockford office and chairman of the board for Hinshaw Consulting, LLC, a subsidiary that the firm wholly owned at the time.
Areas of Focus
Recognition
- Leading Lawyers Magazine, Business Edition, Leading Lawyer, Small, Closely & Privately Held Business Law; Top 100 Leading Downstate Business Lawyers in Illinois
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Peer Review Rating
- Illinois Super Lawyers, 2005
- University of Colorado School of Law, University of Colorado Law Review, Managing Editor; Order of the Coif
Credentials
Education
- University of Colorado School of Law, JD, 1974
- Lawrence University, BA, 1970
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
Thought Leadership
Presentations
- Co-Presenter, "Solar for Nonprofits and Churches - Special Incentives from Illinois," 2024 Solar Conference and Expo, Rockford, Illinois, July 18, 2024
- Co-Presenter, "Let the Sun Shine In: How Churches and Colleges Can Save with Solar with Austin Carr and Jim Keeling," Clean Power Hour Podcast, May 9, 2024
- Co-Presenter, "How Churches and Colleges Can Harness the Energy of the Sun and Save Money with Solar," Greenlink Energy Solutions, Webinar, May 1, 2024
Events
- Jim Keeling to Present at the 2024 Solar Conference and Expo, Jul 18, 2024
- Jim Keeling Teams Up with Greenlink Energy Solutions to Present a Webinar on Making Solar Projects Cost-Efficient and Timely for Businesses and Higher Education Institutions, May 1, 2024
- M&A Market Forecast: What's on the Horizon for 2020?, Jan 16, 2020
- M&A Market Forecast: What to Expect in 2019, Jan 17, 2019
Healthcare Alert
- Health Care Reform – Are You Ready?, Jun 24, 2013
Hinshaw Alerts
- SBA Provides Additional Guidance on Review of Economic Uncertainty Certifications Made by PPP Loan Applicants, May 13, 2020 | Updated May 14, 2020
- PPP Loan Proceeds Return Date Extended, Tips on Preparing for a PPP Loan Audit, May 6, 2020
- Options for Conducting Annual Shareholder Meetings and Director Meetings During a Time of COVID-19 Shelter in Place Orders, Mar 24, 2020
- Top Ten Reasons to Avoid Planning for Your Estate… Yes, You Read That Correctly, Dec 19, 2017
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2011, Dec 13, 2011
Hinshaw Newsletters
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2018 Edition, Dec 11, 2018
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2016 Edition, Dec 19, 2016
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2015 Edition, Dec 15, 2015
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2014 Edition, Dec 2, 2014
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2013 Edition, Dec 11, 2013
In The News
- Clean Power Hour Podcast: Jim Keeling Sheds Light on Solar and Sustainability Opportunities for Organizations, May 10, 2024
- Jim Keeling and Marcia Mueller Discuss the Legal Intricacies of Business Succession Planning, Jun 9, 2023
- James Keeling Among Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s “Twenty People You Should Know”, Oct 25, 2011
Press Releases
Webinar
Interests
Did you know...
In a prior lifetime, Jim might have been a 17th-century Dutch cartographer mapping the known world as new discoveries were embraced.
Community/Civic Activities
- The Blazer Foundation, Director
- Rockford University, Trustee; Former Chair
- Perryville Path Project, Chair (an effort to build a community bicycle and recreational path system)
- Keeling-Puri Peace Plaza, Founder; Co-Chair
- Perks Family Foundation, Director, 2010 – 2025
- Transform Rockford, Board Member, 2014 – 2023
- Rockford University, Karl C. Williams Award, 2021; Honorary Alumnus, 2018; Mary Ashby Cheek Award, 2014
- Rockford Register Star, Excalibur Award, 2011
- Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Citizen of the Year, 2011
- Rockford Park District, Golf Hall of Fame, 2007
- Illinois Park and Recreation Association and Illinois Association of Park Districts, Community Service Award, 1994 and 2001
Thought Leadership
Presentations
- Co-Presenter, "Solar for Nonprofits and Churches - Special Incentives from Illinois," 2024 Solar Conference and Expo, Rockford, Illinois, July 18, 2024
- Co-Presenter, "Let the Sun Shine In: How Churches and Colleges Can Save with Solar with Austin Carr and Jim Keeling," Clean Power Hour Podcast, May 9, 2024
- Co-Presenter, "How Churches and Colleges Can Harness the Energy of the Sun and Save Money with Solar," Greenlink Energy Solutions, Webinar, May 1, 2024
Events
- Jim Keeling to Present at the 2024 Solar Conference and Expo, Jul 18, 2024
- Jim Keeling Teams Up with Greenlink Energy Solutions to Present a Webinar on Making Solar Projects Cost-Efficient and Timely for Businesses and Higher Education Institutions, May 1, 2024
- M&A Market Forecast: What's on the Horizon for 2020?, Jan 16, 2020
- M&A Market Forecast: What to Expect in 2019, Jan 17, 2019
Healthcare Alert
- Health Care Reform – Are You Ready?, Jun 24, 2013
Hinshaw Alerts
- SBA Provides Additional Guidance on Review of Economic Uncertainty Certifications Made by PPP Loan Applicants, May 13, 2020 | Updated May 14, 2020
- PPP Loan Proceeds Return Date Extended, Tips on Preparing for a PPP Loan Audit, May 6, 2020
- Options for Conducting Annual Shareholder Meetings and Director Meetings During a Time of COVID-19 Shelter in Place Orders, Mar 24, 2020
- Top Ten Reasons to Avoid Planning for Your Estate… Yes, You Read That Correctly, Dec 19, 2017
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2011, Dec 13, 2011
Hinshaw Newsletters
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2018 Edition, Dec 11, 2018
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2016 Edition, Dec 19, 2016
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2015 Edition, Dec 15, 2015
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2014 Edition, Dec 2, 2014
- Estate Planning Newsletter - December 2013 Edition, Dec 11, 2013
In The News
- Clean Power Hour Podcast: Jim Keeling Sheds Light on Solar and Sustainability Opportunities for Organizations, May 10, 2024
- Jim Keeling and Marcia Mueller Discuss the Legal Intricacies of Business Succession Planning, Jun 9, 2023
- James Keeling Among Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s “Twenty People You Should Know”, Oct 25, 2011
Press Releases
Webinar
Jim's Insights
Event
Jul 18, 2024
Jim Keeling to Present at the 2024 Solar Conference and Expo
Event
Jul 18, 2024
Jim Keeling to Present at the 2024 Solar Conference and Expo
Press Release
Apr 18, 2022
Rockford Park District Renames Park in Honor of Hinshaw Partner James Keeling
Webinar
May 27, 2020
RAEDC Webinar: How Small Businesses Can Navigate the Pandemic
Hinshaw Alert
May 13, 2020 | Updated May 14, 2020
Hinshaw Alert
May 6, 2020
PPP Loan Proceeds Return Date Extended, Tips on Preparing for a PPP Loan Audit
Event
Jan 16, 2020
Event
Jan 17, 2019
Hinshaw Newsletter
Dec 11, 2018
