Jim's Bio
Jim Richards, a Cornerstone Principal and Director, joined the firm in 2005 after serving in both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. Since joining the Cornerstone family, Jim has successfully managed and advised a diverse set of clients in the agriculture, defense, technology, higher education, transportation, environment, and appropriations spheres, amongst others. In addition, Jim is heavily engaged in Republican politics at the state, local, and federal levels.Before leaving Capitol Hill, Jim served as the appropriations staff for succeeding chairmen of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies, the Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations at the United States Department of Agriculture, and the chief of staff to Congressman Steve Pearce.
Prior to his government service, Jim was the General Manager of a multi-million-dollar wholesale and retail business in New Mexico and a small business owner in Arizona. He also served as an interrogator, linguist and intelligence specialist on active duty in the U.S. Army with extensive experience throughout Southwest Asia. While in the Army, he graduated as Distinguished Honor Graduate of the Defense Language Institute and Foreign Language Center’s Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Dialect courses.
Jim grew up on his family’s fifth generation cattle ranch in Southwest New Mexico and resides in McLean, VA with his wife Patty and their two youngest children.