August 20, 1951 – November 9, 2011 

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The foundation of everything we do at Bearden Law Firm was laid by one man: James L. Bearden. Jim Bearden was a Dallas-born Texan who built a career defined by service — first to his country, then to the law, and always to his clients. 

A military intelligence officer by training, Jim left government service in 1972 to found the predecessor to Bearden Intelligence, Inc. pioneering a model that the profession would come to recognize as the gold standard: attorney-led, fact-intensive, zealous advocacy, and ethically uncompromising. That founding vision remains the cornerstone of everything both the Bearden Law Firm, PLLC and Bearden Intelligence, Inc. stands for today. 

Jim earned his bachelor's degree in political science from The University of Texas at Arlington and later pursued his legal education at the then newly founded Texas Wesleyan School of Law, earning his Juris Doctorate. He entered private practice and served as General Counsel for the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators, Inc. (“TALI”), shaping professional and ethical standards for investigators across the state. Jim was not only a Texas Certified Investigator but helped establish and develop the program that is still in existence today. 

Over the course of his career, Jim and the agency and law firm he built worked throughout the United States and abroad, representing thousands of individuals, hundreds of corporations, and numerous federal, state, and local governmental entities. His case history included some of the most consequential legal and criminal matters of his era — from the Watergate investigation and Abscam FBI sting operations, to the Cullen Davis criminal defense cases, Pennzoil v. Texaco, the Atlanta child murders, and the Delta Flight 191 crash investigation at DFW airport. 

He oversaw the investigation of hundreds of death investigations, more than a dozen organized crime homicide cases, and sensitive matters at the highest levels of business and government. His clients included U.S. presidents, senators, governors, royal families, and Fortune 500 corporations. 

In 2010, Jim received the Hudgins Sallee Award from the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators, Inc. — the organization's highest honor — in recognition of his lifelong contributions to the profession. In 2013, the 83rd Texas Legislature passed House Resolution No. 29, formally paying tribute to his life and the meaningful difference he made to his clients, his community, and his fellow citizens. 

Jim was more than a lawyer and investigator. He was a past president of the Fielder Museum, a member of the University of Texas at Arlington Alumni Association Board of Directors, and a devoted member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Arlington, Texas. He was a husband to Shana for 37 years, a father, and a grandfather. Jim Bearden passed away on November 9, 2011. He was 60 years old. His legacy is not behind us — it is the reason we exist. The principles he established in 1972 are the same principles that guide every case we take today: 

know the facts, follow them wherever they lead, zealously advocate for you client, and never compromise on ethics. 

Bearden Law Firm, PLLC and Bearden Intelligence, Inc. carry forward the work Jim started. We are honored to build on the foundation he gave us.

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