You know Jimmy Binns, even if you don’t know him by name. He founded the Hero Plaque program for Philadelphia’s fallen police officers and firefighters. He’s President and CEO of the Hero Thrill Show, an annual fundraiser for the education of fallen police and firefighters’ children. He’s President and CEO of Cop Wheels Inc., which provides equipment for police departments. He was Rocky’s lawyer on the silver screen.
James J. Binns, lawyer, philanthropist and lifelong Philadelphian formally joined forces with The Beasley Firm in 2012 as a ”special counsel” attorney. Mr. Binns, a fixture in the Philadelphia community, provides The Beasley Firm with his vast professional experience, civic outreach, tireless work effort, and unparalleled reputation in the community. We are proud to have formed this partnership with one of the area’s premier attorneys and benefactors.
Read more at JamesBinns.net, or visit his Facebook page.
In 1961, James J. Binns graduated magna cum laude from LaSalle University where he later served on the Board of Trustees and dedicated the James J. Binns Fitness Center. In 1964, he earned his J.D. from Villanova Law School. Thirty years later he returned to LaSalle and received a Master’s Degree in Cross-Cultural Communications. For the last forty-eight years he has specialized in litigation and is licensed to practice in 21 States. For over 40 years, he has accumulated a storied record of philanthropy. His most recent charitable works have benefited Police and Fire Departments throughout the Delaware Valley.
Jimmy Binns is featured in chapter 17 of Jim Beasley’s biography Courtroom Cowboy. Read it here.
In 2001 Mr. Binns founded the “Hero Plaque Program” which has dedicated 271 plaques commemorating the valor of Police Officers and Fire Fighters who have been killed in the line-of-duty. The plaques are placed where they fell.
In 2005 he founded “Copwheels, Inc.” through which he has furnished over 110 motorcycles, 4 K-9 dogs, 100 shot guns, 50 bicycles and 2 horse trailers to local law enforcement agencies.
In 2006 he assumed the presidency of the Hero Thrill Show. Over the last 7 years he has revitalized that event and has dramatically increased attendance and raised several million dollars which is used to pay for the college education of the children of Police Officers and Fire Fighters who have been killed in the line-of-duty.
In 2008 he founded “Holiday Meals for Heroes”. On Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas over 100 Highway Patrol Motorcycle Police Officers from Departments throughout the Delaware Valley deliver full course meals to the families of police officers who have been killed in the line-of-duty. They have made 18 such runs to date.
Jimmy was appointed as the Pennsylvania Boxing Commissioner by two Governors, Richard Thornburgh, a Republican and Robert Casey, a Democrat. He has been inducted into the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame and the Law Enforcement Hall of Fame. He is an honorary lifetime member of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police and an honorary lifetime member of the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association.
He was invested by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta as a Papal Knight and enjoys honorary appointments to a number of Police and Fire Departments and District Attorney’s offices. He was awarded a certificate of proficiency by the Philadelphia Police Academy Motorcycle School. The vaunted Highway Patrol Motorcycle Drill Team unanimously voted to include him as a team member. He is the official team announcer at all public functions. He is a graduate of the FBI Citizen’s Academy and is currently class Lieutenant at the Delaware County Community College Police Academy, scheduled to graduate in December, 2013.
He portrayed himself opposite Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire and Burt Young as Rocky’s lawyer in “ROCKY V” and portrayed himself opposite Sylvester Stallone as the Pennsylvania Boxing Commissioner in “ROCKY BALBOA”. In 2006, on the eve of his 1st Hero Thrill Show, he dedicated the “ROCKY” statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in return for a commitment from Sylvester Stallone to serve as Grand Marshal of the Show, thereby insuring increased attendance and the financial success of the Show.
Mr. Binns has been honored by the FBI, Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, B’nai B’rith International, Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Israel Bonds, Shomrim, State and Local Lodges of the FOP, a number of Labor Organizations, The Emerald Society, the Boy Scouts of America and several law enforcement organizations. His children are Amy, Jimmy, Jr. and daughter-in-law Fatima and his 5 grandchildren are Jimmy, Blair and Carter Ives as well as Sammy and James J. Binns, III.
