James Aussem

James S. Aussem, is a shareholder in the Cleveland law firm of Cavitch Familo & Durkin, Co., LPA, as well as a past member of its board of directors and former Chair of the Business Practice Group. Mr. Aussem’s practice is focused on succession planning, mergers and acquisitions as well as estates and trusts.

Mr. Aussem has been chosen as one of America’s Best Lawyers every year since 2009 and for the past 11 years he has been chosen in two categories, Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates.

Mr. Aussem has been designated an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) Distinguished by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils which inducted him into its Estate Planning Hall of Fame in November of 2022.

He was the 90th president of the Society of Financial Service Professionals (FSP) serving from September 1, 2017, to August 31, 2018; he received the 2019 Kenneth Black, Jr. Leadership Award from the Society in 2019, and has been active in the Cleveland Chapter FSP, serving as its President 2010-2011 and was named its Financial Service Professional of the Year in 2013.

Mr. Aussem is a frequent speaker, facilitator, and instructor for many professional organizations on topics such as business succession, buying and selling businesses, estate planning, insurance, trusts and estates.

Baldwin Wallace University in 2004 presented him with its Distinguished Alumni Award.

He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Mr. Aussem began his legal career as a tax attorney with Ernst & Ernst (now Ernst & Young). He worked his way through undergraduate school employed in the securities industry, as well as in the trust department of the former National City Bank. He graduated from Baldwin-Wallace University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Mr. Aussem is AV® Preeminent Rated – Martindale-Hubbell