James J. Marszalek is a graduate of the Univeristyof Illinois at Chicago of March, 1970. After that he was a high school chemistry teacher primarily at Kennedy High School and Lindblom Technical High School. While at Lindblom, he was the head baseball coach from 1972 through 1976. He left Lindblom in January, 1977 and began to practice law afer graduating from John Marshall Law School in June of January of 1977 to December of 1981, he practiced work comp for a law firm and then started his own practice in December, 1981 and subsequently merged with his brother, John Marszalek, in May, 1986 to form Marszalek and Marszalek. He is licensed to practice in Illinois and has been admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court and has argued in the Illinois Supreme Court.

His practice consists of Illinois work comp law, personal injury, and Social Security Disability. He has been named in Leading Lawyers Magazine,Super Lawyers Magazine, and recently in Best Lawyers in is also listed in Latino Who's Who for his service to that community and is a guest speaker at the University of Illinois Law School.,He is a member of the Illinois Workers Compesation Lawyers' Assocaition (WCLA), Chicago Bar Association (CBA) and National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR).