Attorney, community leader and soldier James Curtis Rinaman Jr. died Jan. 26. He was 88.
A celebration of life is scheduled at 1 p.m. Feb. 10 at Southside Methodist Church at 3120 Hendricks Ave.
Rinaman received a bachelor’s degree in 1955 and a law degree in 1960 from the University of Florida.
He then joined the Marks Gray law firm in Jacksonville where his practice focused on business, insurance, administrative and governmental law, commercial litigation, products liability defense, professional malpractice and other tort claims.
Marks Gray’s longest-tenured attorney, Rinaman celebrated 56 years with the law firm when he retired in 2016.
Rinaman distinguished himself as a trial advocate, community leader, military officer and a leader in the legal community.
He was counsel for the Duval County Legislative Delegation in 1965 and 1967 and for Florida Senate President John E. Mathews in 1969.
One of the architects of Jacksonville’s consolidated government, in 1966 Rinaman was a member of the Local Government Study Commission of Duval County, chair of its Public Utilities Task Force and a member of the Charter Drafting Committee. In 1967, he was chief counsel for the delegation for passage of the charter.
Rinaman was general counsel for the consolidated city of Jacksonville under former Mayor Hans Tanzler Jr. from 1969 to 1971 and a member of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority board of directors from 1971 until 1980.
Rinaman was a founding member and later president of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Leadership Jacksonville Inc.
In 1993, he was chairman of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, now JAX Chamber. That was the year the NFL awarded Jacksonville a franchise - the Jaguars.
He also served as president of the Meninak Club of Jacksonville, the March of Dimes and the Northeast Florida chapter of the American Red Cross.
Throughout his career, Rinaman was committed to service to the Bar. He was president of the Jacksonville Bar Association, The Florida Bar, the Florida Defense Lawyers Association and the Association of Defense Trial Lawyers.
He was a founding member and chair of Lawyers for Civil Justice Inc. and the Florida Volunteer Lawyers Resource Center.
“Jim Rinaman Jr. made immense civic contributions to Jacksonville and the state of Florida. His unique role in creating the consolidated government of Jacksonville continues to have positive benefits for us today,” said Mayor Donna Deegan.
Rinaman received awards for his leadership, including The Florida Bar President’s Award in 1985, the American Judicature Society Herbert Harley Award and The Florida Bar Foundation Medal of Honor for chairing the 1987 Florida Bar Special Committee on representation of death-sentenced inmates in post-conviction collateral proceedings.
In 2005, Rinaman was chair of the Duval County Courthouse Architectural Review Committee.
Also dedicated to serving his country, Rinaman was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1955-57 and then was an officer in the Florida Army National Guard from 1957 until he retired as a brigadier general in 1992.
His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal and the Florida Cross.
Rinaman and his wife, Gloria, were married Aug. 9, 1958, and have four adult children: James III, Mark, Christine and Karen.