James has been a resident of Staten Island since the age of 2.  His father is a retired New York City Department of Correction Captain and his mother is a retired homemaker and school administrator. James' family moved from Brooklyn to Staten Island  when James was 2 years old and settled in the Oakwood section of the Mid Island district. James attended St. Patrick's grammar school in Richmondtown and graduated in 1980 earning the "Outstanding Student" medal at commencement.  Four years later, James graduated from Monsignor Farrell High School and entered New York University on a partial academic scholarship. In 1988 James graduated New York University earning his bachelor of Science degree in Finance, cum laude.  In the Fall of 1988,James began his legal career with his admission to Brooklyn Law School as a Richardson Scholar.  After the completion of his first year of law school, James spent the summer clerking for the Honorable Louis B. York, Judge of the Supreme Court.  During his last two law school years, James earned placement in the Moot Court Honor Society based upon his demonstration of skills in legal writing and oral advocacy.  In his finalyear at Brooklyn Law School, James was elected to the Honor Society's Executive Board serving as Vice Chairperson of Intramural Affairs. He also earned placement that same year on the law school's National Trial Advocacy Team.

    After graduating law school in 1991, and passing the bar exam, James began practicing law as an associate attorney with a Manhattan law firm.  After ten (10) years of practice, James returned home to his Staten Island community and opened his own law office in 2001.  Since
that time, James has built a busy law practice serving the residents of both Staten Island and Brooklyn.

    As a young adult, James also served his community as a youth basketball and youth baseball coach. Currently, James serves his
community as a member of the Richmondtown/Clarke Avenue Civic Association and as Vice Chairperson and Legal Counsel to the Joint Mid
Island Civic Association.  Most recently, James earned appointment to the St. Patrick's Parish Council where he works to support his local
parish.

    Today, James lives in the Richmondtown section of the Mid Island district with his wife, MaryKim DeMonaco-Pocchia, also an attorney with a private practice here on Staten Island, and their five (5) year old son, James, Jr., a kindergartener at St. Patrick's School.