Trained as an oboist at the Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School, Jim Kendrick began his music publishing career in 1977 before studying law. Following graduation from law school in 1983, he has specialized in intellectual property matters with a particular emphasis on the music and audio-visual industries. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Kendrick has also served as a senior executive of several music publishing companies including Boosey & Hawkes, Schott Music/European American Music and Universal Music Publishing Classical.

Mr. Kendrick became a director of ASCAP in 2007 and was named Treasurer in 2008.

Mr. Kendrick is also Secretary and a Director of The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Amphion Foundation, the Virgil Thomson Foundation, The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress and The Charles Ives Society. He also is a director of New Music USA and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Alice M. Ditson Fund. He is a member of the Executive Committee of The International Association of Entertainment Lawyers, and counsel to the Music Publishers Association of the United States and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is a frequent speaker on copyright and music industry business practices both in the US and overseas.