Becky S. James is a highly accomplished attorney with extensive experience in both criminal and civil litigation. Admitted to practice in California, Texas, and numerous federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, she focuses her practice on civil and criminal appeals, white-collar criminal defense, and civil litigation.
Known for her extensive appellate experience, James has worked on hundreds of appeals and argued more than 50 civil and criminal appeals before federal and state appellate courts. She also frequently consults with trial teams and assists with complex motions in the trial courts. She is a Certified Appellate Specialist in California.
James was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California for nearly 13 years, where she served as Chief of the Criminal Appeals Section and Chief and Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Section. Entering private practice, James was a partner and co-chair of the national appellate practice at a major law firm before opening her own boutique law firm in Los Angeles. Moving to Texas, she served as the Chief Public Defender for the Atascosa Area Advocates Public Defender’s Office, where she managed a team serving four rural counties, before returning to private practice.
James has served as a Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative and a member of the Ninth Circuit Conference Executive Committee and has taught appellate advocacy and white-collar crime at Loyola and Pepperdine Law Schools. Among her honors, she was named one of California’s Top White Collar Attorneys 2021 by Daily Journal and has repeatedly been named a Super Lawyer. Following law school, she was a law clerk for Judge Pamela Rymer on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.