Born in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, Mr. Carter is a 1990 graduate of Washington Township (NJ) High School. He graduated from Rowan University magna cum laude with a B.A. in history and concentrations in German and honors studies in 1995. In 1998, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers School of Law - Camden.  After law school, Mr. Carter moved to New Mexico, where he was an associate at Lamb, Metzgar, Lines & Dahl in Albuquerque. He then returned to New Jersey and served a judicial clerkship with the Hon. Marilyn Rhyne-Herr in the Hunterdon County Superior Court before becoming an associate with Angelini, Viniar & Freedman in Woodbury. He was the managing member of The Law Office of James M. Carter, LLC, in Washington Township before joining Hoffman DiMuzio in January 2007. 

Early in his carrer, Mr. Carter acted as a municipal prosecutor in several Gloucester and Camden County towns, including Cherry Hill Township and Clayton Borough, and served as solicitor to the Elk Township Combined Planning & Zoning Board. He presently concentrates in all areas of family law, family-based immigration, land use law, and administrative matters, particularly professional licensure issues.

He now lives with his wife of 25 years and their two sons in Glassboro, where he has coached youth soccer, baseball, and basketball and has served on the Board of Directors of Glassboro Babe Ruth Baseball and as president of the Glassboro Soccer Club.