James Michael Ney, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, graduated (in three years) from Furman in 1964. Just two years later, he received his J.D. degree from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he was a justice on the honor court, a member of the law review editorial board and president of the law school student body. He served two years as law assistant to the Presiding Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, and subsequently served as the Clerk of the State Board of Bar Examiners and as an instructor at John Marshall School of Law. In 1968, he joined the law firm of Alston & Bird where he practiced for 14 years and became a partner in 1973. In 1984, he helped found the firm of Holt Ney Zatcoff & Wasserman, LLP where he has practiced since 1984. He was special assistant attorney general of the State of Georgia for three years, and presently serves as a special attorney general for the State of Ohio. He has chaired the Real Estate Section of the Atlanta Bar, receiving its first annual award of merit. He was also selected for all editions of the "Best Lawyers in America" from 1983 to 2018.

From 1987 to 2003, he served on the Board of Trustees on the Schenck School (for children with learning disabilities), including three years as chair. He has also served for seven years (three as president) on the Board of Trustees of Community Friendship, which works with mentally disabled adults. In 1995, he was the recipient of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce award for "Outstanding Community Service." He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Atlanta Academy for four years and currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cobb County Library Foundation. He is a past president of the Atlanta Furman Club and the 2006 recipient of the Alumnus Award of Excellence. He has served as a Sunday School Teacher, a member of and chair of the Staff Parish Relations Committee, and the Administrative Council of the Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church.

He and his wife, Carol, served for six years as co-chairs of the Richard Furman Society and were the 2006 recipients of Furman's "Bell Tower Award." He and Carol are the 2011-2012 "Distinguished Service Award" recipients from the Southern Conference on behalf of Furman.

They have three daughters, two of whom graduated from Furman. Three of Mr. and Mrs. Ney's grandchildren presently attend Furman.