James Barnes came to BWC in January 2006, after spending more than 20 years with the Ohio Attorney General's Office. Immediately prior to joining BWC, Barnes was senior deputy attorney general and chief of that office's workers' compensation section. His primary area of practice was administrative law and employment law, specializing in workers' compensation.

Barnes, who leads BWC's Legal Division and serves as the agency's ethics officer, earned his juris doctorate degree from the Cleveland State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1985. He received his bachelor’s degree from Kent State University.

He is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, and serves as the secretary for the 100 Black Men of Central Ohio Inc., an organization dedicated to mentoring youth. He also served as president of the John Mercer Langston Bar Association from July 2005 to July 2007, and currently serves on its Executive Board.

Barnes is a Cleveland native and currently resides in Gahanna with his wife and three children.