As a litigator she manages all aspects of litigation including drafting and responding to pleadings, discovery, mediation and settlement negotiations, trial preparation, trial and post-trial motions. Ms. James is experienced in fact investigation, legal research, oral argument and motion drafting, including both trial court motions and appellate writs and petitions.
Ms. James received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) in 2006. While at UCLA, Ms. James was a UCLA School of Law, Fellow; an AmeriCorps – JusticeCorps, Fellow; and a member/executive board member of Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority.
In 2007, Ms. James relocated to New York City to attend Columbia Law School, where she earned her Juris Doctorate in 2010. Ms. James graduated Columbia Law School as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. During law school, Ms. James worked with Morningside Heights Legal Services as a Student Attorney representing youth aging out of the New York foster care system in various matters ranging from criminal defense, civil litigation, financial and fraud disputes, and family law matters. Ms. James served on the Columbia Journal of Race and the Law and the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law as a Staff Editor. In addition, she served on the Executive Boards of the Black Law Student Association, the American Civil Liberties Union and the California Society. As a first year law student, she was a member of Columbia’s NBLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court team, placing 2nd runner-up at the Northeast Regional Competition and competing at the Nation Competition.
Prior to joining Yukevich | Cavanaugh, Ms. James practiced in the areas of commercial litigation, general negligence, insurance coverage, entertainment law and family law.