James Bieri's involvement with retail real estate began in 1970 when he was a student at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. During this time he joined Santa's Corner, the first national temporary tenant, and was instrumental in ensuring its early success, as he was primarily responsible for real estate. He also participated in merchandising, pricing, personnel and store design decision-making.

After graduating with a BA in Business Administration, he remained active with Santa's Corner, expanding it from an 11-store company to a 350-store company, while earning a Juris Doctor from Detroit College of Law.

Mr. Bieri entered private law practice in 1975, forming a legal association with Melvin S. Bernstein and Gary Bethune. In 1994 Stanley Ames joined the firm and it continues today as Bieri & Ames.

While practicing law, Mr. Bieri was also Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the National Mall Monitor, a shopping center publication; it became the leading publication in the shopping center industry. The magazine was sold in 1985 to the Canadian publishing giant Maclean Hunter Media Inc.

Bieri & Associates became the Bieri Company in 1979 to meet the non-legal consulting needs of the law firm's national retail clients. From inception, the new Bieri organization has been actively involved in retail real estate analysis, site selection, and lease negotiation as well as factory outlet evaluation.

Mr. Bieri is a member of various professional, educational and civic organizations including the American Bar Association and its Commercial Leasing Subcommittee, State Bar of Michigan and its Commercial Leasing Subcommittee, International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute, Detroit Land Institute, in which he serves as Program Committee Co-Chair, and is an active member of the Detroit Athletic Club and the County Club of Detroit. Mr. Bieri is a frequent speaker at retail real estate events and is an often quoted retail real estate expert in various publications.