He spent the first decade of his career at a prominent Phoenix law firm and then went on to open his own law firm. Throughout his life, he has been active in numerous community and non-profit endeavors with an emphasis on organizations and causes that advance civil liberties and address issues related to minority and emerging communities. James graduated cum laude with a degree in criminal justice from Northern Arizona University in 2001. He obtained his law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, California in 2004, where he focused his studies on International human rights.