James C. Munch III
Partner & Attorney
Physical
23 Water Street
Suite 300
Bangor, ME 04401
Suite 300
Bangor, ME 04401
Mailing
PO Box 919
Bangor, ME 04402
Bangor, ME 04402
Practice Areas
Parental Rights & Responsibilities
Post Judgment Motions
Jim began at VBK in 1992 and has been a partner since 2001. His career, education, and background have made him a highly trusted and skilled attorney in family law, probate litigation, and bankruptcy matters. Part of his law lineage began alongside a VBK founder, Lewis V. Vafiades (Lou), whom Jim fondly remembers for his ability to combine a firm touch in cases with an “old school sense of manners.”
Jim seeks to work with clients to develop a firm understanding of their goals, determine a course to attain them, and advocate both in court and out to achieve his client’s goals.
During Jim’s over 30 years at VBK, he has navigated many facets of law and continues to provide representation in family law, Probate Court matters, and bankruptcy services.
He has found that these practice areas allow him to address many of the challenges faced by the firm’s clients and their families. He can work with individuals and families to find solutions to what are often a mixture of challenges and problems.
In past years, he worked as a Special Education attorney, helping parents and students navigate the ever-more-complex areas of special education law. While he no longer practices in that area of expertise, this work deeply impacted his understanding of the challenges facing families in Northern Maine and his passion for serving them.
Jim was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1962. After living in Canada, Colorado, and Illinois, he graduated high school in Portland, Maine, where he developed a powerful connection to the state. His deep regard for history and liberal arts led him to degrees from Brown University in Classical History and New York University in Political Science.
Indeed, he has continued to pursue those interests through guest lecturing in Classical
and Early Modern History and Anthropology at the University of Maine for over 25 years, as well
as participation in two archaeological projects in Peru.
In 1991, he completed his Juris Doctor at The University of Maine Law School, where he founded the school’s student international law program and the Jessup Moot Court program.
Following his graduation from The University of Maine School of Law, Jim became a Law Clerk for the Honorable Judge James B. Haines of the United States Bankruptcy Court in Bangor.
Jim is also a founder of the Volunteer Lawyer’s Project program with Northern Light Acadia Hospital, was the Chair of the Campaign for Justice Steering Committee, and a Board Member of Pine Tree Legal Assistance. He is a founding board member of the Maine Infantry Foundation.
Today, Jim lives in Bangor and Sullivan and spends his off-hours in Downeast Maine. You can discuss Napoleonic, Classical Greek, and Roman history and archeology with Jim when not discussing your case. In addition to history and archeology, he particularly enjoys travel, painting, and kayaking.
Activities & Affiliations
- United States First Circuit Court of Appeals
- United States District Court, Maine
- Maine State Courts
- Penobscot Nation Tribal Court
- Penobscot County, Maine, and American Bar Associations
- Maine Trial Lawyers Association, member
- National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, member
Education
- 1985 Brown University, Bachelor of Arts with Honors
- 1998 New York University Masters of Arts, Political Science, Methodology
- 1991 University of Maine Law School, Juris Doctor
Awards
- Volunteer Lawyers Project Director’s Award, 1985
