Trial Attorney James M. Chavez

James was a Trial Attorney at Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. (FDSDI) from 2007 to 2020. FDSDI is one of the most respected public defender offices in the nation, recruiting new lawyers from the best law schools from coast to coast. James trained and mentored these attorneys for more than a decade. In 2019, Harvard Law School choose James as a Wasserstein Public Interest Fellow for being an exemplary public interest lawyer and mentor. 

James was raised in a home with the core values of hard-work, integrity, decency, and a healthy helping of humor. He has practiced these values every day as a lawyer. He was educated in the public schools of Flagstaff, Arizona. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He put this degree to use for a couple of years at the Federal Reserve Board, delivering his economic analysis to the office of Chairperson Alan Greenspan.  But, James wanted a career of service where the benefits of this work were more tangible.  So, James enrolled and earned his Juris Doctorate at UC Berkeley, School of Law. He was the president of his graduating law school class, which earned him the opportunity to speak during the graduation ceremony along with his personal hero and legal luminary Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative.  

James finds great joy in the courtroom challenging opposing counsel and judges, defending his clients, and trying cases. He has handled thousands of felony and misdemeanor cases over the course of his career, from simple misdemeanors to felonies punishable by death. He has tried over twenty jury trials in criminal cases, avoiding conviction in a third of them. 

Additionally, James has had remarkable success in his appellate practice, including arguing seven times total before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and California Courts of Appeal. 

James has lived in San Diego since 2007. Originally, he is from Northern Arizona. In the United States, he has lived in Oregon, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.  James has traveled to many countries. But, he has a special place in his heart for Mexico. He has lived in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. Also, he enjoys traveling to visit his family members who live throughout Mexico.

In his free time, James enjoys road trips, hiking, and exploring San Diego County with his young family and three-legged dog.  

James believes in the value of taking cases to trial. It keeps the justice system fair, impartial, and transparent.

• James has tried twenty-seven federal cases. 
  • Twenty one of these cases were jury trials, including:
    • two not-guilty verdicts,  
    • six trials resulted in a mistrial because of hung juries, 
    • two cases had charges dismissed after the close of evidence. 

James enjoys the intellectual challenge of appellate practice. James's experience includes:

• winning appeals saving his clients months and years of time in custody at the resentencing,
• filing briefs in thirteen appeals, 
• arguing seven times total before the Ninth Circuit and California’s Fourth District Courts of Appeal, 
• earning published opinions in three cases.

James spent more than a decade at Federal Defenders defending thousands of individuals against criminal charges. These charges ranged from simple misdemeanors to crimes punishable by death.

James took on many leadership roles including:

Director of New Arraignments 

It was James's responsibility to ensure that Federal Defenders effectively represented nearly every criminal defendant in the Southern District of California arraigned in San Diego. Within the Federal Defenders office, James coordinated attorneys and investigators to staff the arraignments process. Outside of the office, James coordinated with United States Pretrial Services and the United States Marshals to ensure the arraignment process functioned efficiently.

Trial Team Leader of the Streamline Unit 

James was responsible for coordinating the representation of all of the defendants represented by Federal Defenders who were prosecuted as part of Operation Streamline. Operation Streamline is a joint initiative of the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice, that adopts a "zero-tolerance" approach to unauthorized border-crossing by criminally prosecuting those perpetrating it. In 2018, Operation Streamline was brought to San Diego as part of the nationwide immigration crackdown. This crackdown is what caused nationwide headlines about child separation at the border.    

Harvard Law School, Wasserstein Public Interest Fellow (October 2019) 

• The program recognizes exemplary lawyers who have distinguished themselves in public interest work and as mentors. Fellows are brought to campus to advise law students who are considering similar career paths.
• James was nominated to the fellowship by his colleagues in recognition of his commitment to mentoring younger attorneys, especially attorneys of color. 

Defending a Federal Criminal Case (2016), Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. 

• Chapter on Common Offense, author
• Chapter on Crime in Indian Country, editor

Defending a Federal Criminal Case (2010), Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc., 

• Final reader 

University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Berkeley La Raza Law Journal 

• Articles Editor, 2006-07
• Articles Editor, 2005-06

James has been interviewed by, and has had the story of his clients and their cases told in The New York Times, the L.A. Times, local news publications, NPR Weekend and Morning Editions, Public Radio International, and The New York Times podcast The Daily. 

James has been a number of lawyer organizations over the years, including:

• San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association
• Federal Bar Association
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• National Lawyers Guild
• Trial Lawyers College
• Consumer Attorneys of San Diego 
• American Constitution Society

 Reed College

Admissions office

• For many years, James conducted interviews of student applicants who live in San Diego. 

Career services / mentoring

• James served as a resource for countless students and recent alumni who were interested in pursuing a legal career.

UC Berkeley, School of Law

Career services mentoring

• James has spoken to countless students about a career in public defense. 
• James has participated in a program to mentor first-year, law students throughout their first year of law school. 

Moot Court Competition 

• For a number of years, James volunteered to evaluate briefs for the annual moot court competition. 

San Diego Cooperative Preschool

Board of directors

• James participates in the monthly meetings of the general board, and is on two sub-committees. Prior the pandemic, James would volunteer in the preschool two mornings a month. 

University of California, Berkeley, School of Law 

• Juris Doctorate (2007)
• Class president 
• Commencement speaker
• Moot court board
• Berkeley La Raza Law Journal  (editor)

Reed College, Portland, Oregon

• Bachelor of arts,  Economics (2001)
• Commendation for academic excellence
• Walter Mintz economics scholarship