Trustee

James Rappaport

James Rappaport is a Deputy County Attorney at the Pima County Attorney’s Office, where he works in the Appeals Section. His primary practice is criminal appellate and post-conviction litigation, as well as civil appellate litigation.

Born and raised in Tucson, James has been a longtime cellist in the community. He began studying at age four with Mary Beth Tyndall, who served as assistant principal cello of the Tucson Symphony for almost 40 years. In high school, James was principal cello of the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra under Dr. Suzette Battan. He soloed with the TSO and TPYO in performances of Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1, and with the Civic Orchestra of Tucson in the finale of Lalo’s Cello Concerto in D minor.

After high school, James studied cello with Eleonore Schoenfeld at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as principal cello of the Penn Symphony Orchestra. While living in Philadelphia, James collaborated with singer/songwriter Bill Ricchini in his 2010 album, Summer Fiction (available on YouTube Music and Apple Music). He also spent two summers conducting at the Monteux School in Hancock, Maine. James received a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in Historical Musicology in 2011.

Toward the end of college, James decided to pursue a career in the law. He received his JD from Georgetown University in 2014. While in law school, James was a cellist with the Georgetown Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

James is the Immediate Past President of the Pima County Bar Association and current Chair of the Tucson City Magistrate Merit Selection Commission. He is also the current Board Secretary for Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption.

Outside of his legal practice and volunteer work, James plays cello in the Tucson Repertory Orchestra under Toru Tagawa.