While still in law school, James Felton was already learning valuable lessons about the way judges think while working for Court of Appeals Justice Joan Dempsey Klein and United States District Court Judge Stephen Wilson. “I strongly believe that it changed the way I viewed the law,” he said. “The experiences with the two judges showed me how judges look at disputes and how writing affects the way they decide cases. By being exposed to what they thought was affective writing from a nonpartisan point of view, I got a great opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t,” said Felton. Felton first became interested in law through working at his father’s law office. “I saw as a kid how the law could help people,” said Felton. Felton graduated from Brandeis in 1985 for undergraduate studies. In 1988, Felton received his J.D. from the University of California Los Angeles. He notes that Brandeis placed a special importance on writing, which was later reinforced by his experience with the judges. “In every legal proceeding you submit papers in advance of the day you go to court, and most judges have made up their minds about a case before you open your mouth because of what you’ve written,” he said. Informed by these early experiences, Felton joined Greenberg & Bass in 1991 and made managing partner in 1997. During that time, he established himself as a very sharp and professional litigator, and by 2003, he was elected as president of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association. “As an opponent he was a pleasure to litigate against,” said Gary Barr, of Alpert & Barr. On the occasion that the two opposed each other, Barr said Felton had picked up the case late and was at a disadvantage. The judge had lost patience with the two parties by that point, and even though Felton’s client lost, Barr admired his ability to win over the ear of an already irritable judge by asserting his professionalism. As a litigator, Felton is careful to help clients understand the emotional and financial toll of lawsuits. “It is difficult to explain this to a client but you have to. You need a client to understand, that putting aside money that will be spent on the lawsuit, the lawsuit will also take an emotional toll on them. If a case can be resolved early, they will never have to face that toll, which depending on each individual client can be very very difficult to them.” Felton is especially noted for his dedication to his clients. “He is an exceptionally smart and clear-thinking attorney, but one of the things I like about him the most is that he is always ready to listen to my input and go over things in detail with me,” Philip Knowles, CEO of Trinity Home Entertainment. Felton’s dedication has also impressed his colleagues on more than one occasion. “He is an excellent lawyer, practical, results-oriented, and very smart. A litigant would be proud and at an advantage to have Jim as his or her advocate,” said partner Arthur Greenberg. “He will leave no stone unturned.” With his even and professional temperament, combined with his keen intellect, many of Felton’s peers are not surprised that he has aspirations to become a judge. “I suspect that one day I will wear a black robe to work. I would do my best to get the parties to understand that it is a process, to let them understand the courts are there to resolve disputes and that we need to make sure that they get to feel like they had their day in court.” Elizabeth Hsing-Huei Chou
