Jim Beasley Jr.: The (Literally) High-Flying Attorney
Illustration by Andy Friedman
I am a … teenager trapped in a 48-year-old body.
I grew up in … a tornado in Villanova. Four dogs, my dad, two sisters. A million things all at the same time. Now I live in a tornado in West Chester.
When I was a kid, I wanted to grow up to be … a fighter pilot. But I went to Penn for medicine. I wanted to be a geneticist.
My most famous client was … Taylor Swift. I represented her for a breach-of-contract for an airplane that she bought.
My most infamous client is … George Zimmerman. I have a libel case against NBC that’s still pending.
If you’re pouring me a drink, make it a … Miller Lite in a can.
To kids considering law school right now, I say … think carefully. There are already too many lawyers.
My biggest verdict was … for $104 million against Iraq, al Qaeda and bin Laden, but I’m still working on collecting that. I think it’s the only 9/11 verdict in the country.
I learned to fly … from my dad, at North Philly Airport in 1984. I’ve flown most of the U.S. and British WWII fighters.
The best lawyer movie is … obviously, My Cousin Vinny.
My wife is always telling me … to get rid of my motorcycles. I’ve raced motocross since 1981, and I have probably 20 bikes. It’s how I relax.
On Sunday morning, you’ll find me … making scrapple and pancakes and yelling at everybody to wake up.
The best thing about my job is … that it never stops. But that’s also the worst thing.
My best karaoke song is … “Into the Void” by Black Sabbath.
The last book I read cover-to-cover is … 101 Places to Get Fucked Up Before You Die.
If I were mayor of Philadelphia, I would … quit.
The closest call I ever had in a plane was … flying in an air show in Canada. There was an intruder in our airspace, and we got very, very close. I also lost an engine at night, which sucked. An electrical failure in an F-86 in Arizona. I ran out of gas over Rancocas. I’ve had a lot.
I got my first tattoo … after my son died in 2003. He was stillborn, and I got a tattoo to remember him by.
When I was 16, I was … fat. But my dad kept reminding me of this, and it made me work out and lift weights. These days, I run Tough Mudders.
The last time I gambled … I ended up with a piece of property in Ocean City. That’s what happens when I make a bet with my wife.
The toughest part about being my dad’s son … is being my dad’s son. You always hear, “You’ll never be your father.” I say, “Neither will you. We’re even.”
Originally published as “One of Us” in the September 2015 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
