Jim was born and raised in rural Manitoba and received his primary and secondary education in Virden, Manitoba graduating from Virden Collegiate Institute in 1957.

Jim articled as a student in accounts with Laird Sprague & Company in Brandon, Manitoba from 1957 until 1960 when he returned to Virden, Manitoba and articled with G.M. Horne & Company until he received his C.A. designation in 1962.  The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta made Jim a life member in 2002 and awarded him the F.C.A. designation in 2006.

He went into public practice on his own in 1963 at the ripe old age of twenty-four after a brief stint of managing the Virden Auction Mart Limited for a year.  In 1967, he joined with Jack Morrow, C.A., and the firm of Morrow Leckie & Company carried on the accounting practice in Virden until 1973.  This firm was the first acquisition of Meyers Norris Penny in 1973 when Jim moved to Winnipeg after his appointment as Chief Financial Officer for Robinson Little Company Limited.  Robinson Little Company Limited were the suppliers to over 180 franchise “Robinson Stores” in Western Canada.

The diminishing rural populations on the prairies during the seventies forced the company to move into larger centers and compete with larger retailers in times wrought with rampant inflation.  Interest rates moved into double digits and the financing of larger stores in bigger communities resulted in declining profits.  Jim left the company in 1979 with the desire to return to public practice.

Jim came to Lloydminster in 1980 and worked with a local firm of chartered accountants until 1985 when he set out on his own again and formed Leckie & Associates.

Jim has a history of community service.  In Virden, he was a school trustee, a town councilor, president of the Chamber of Commerce, treasurer of the Virden Recreation Commission, secretary-treasurer of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League and served many offices in the Kinsmen Club of Virden.  Jim played in the band of the XII Manitoba Dragons for several years.  In the sports area, Jim actively participated in hockey, curling, baseball, tennis and golf.  He refereed hockey and umpired baseball for many years in Manitoba.

Since moving to Lloydminster, Jim has been active in the community and served as president of the Men’s Curling Club and the Royal Canadian Legion.  Jim was named Lloydminster's citizen of the year for 2008 and had the honour of being Colonial Days Parade Marshall in 2009.  He enjoys golfing and curling in his spare time.