Morris Lecture to feature attorney Charles James

This year’s annual Morris Lecture will feature attorney Charles A. James. During a 30-year legal career, James held some of the senior-most positions in American law, including government, private practice and corporate law.

James recently joined the College of Law as an adjunct faculty member teaching antitrust.

Born in Newark, N.J., James earned his bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in 1976 and his law degree from the National Law Center at George Washington University in 1979. After graduating from law school, James joined the Federal Trade Commission and served from 1979 to 1985 in several capacities, including Assistant to the FTC Director of the Bureau of Competition.

Before leaving the FTC in 1985 for private practice, James received the FTC Chairman’s Award. In private practice at Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue’s Washington, D.C., office, James worked from 1985 to 1989, chairing the firm’s Antitrust and Trade Regulation Practice. His practice at Jones Day focused on joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and specialized in the telecommunications, health, information technology and financial services industry.

In 1989 James began serving in the Antitrust Division during the first Bush Administration as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General until he was made Acting Assistant Attorney General in 1992. Later that year, James received the U.S. Department of Justice Edmund Randolph Award given for outstanding service to the DOJ. James was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 4, 2001 as the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for Antitrust at the DOJ in the second Bush Administration. As AAG, James oversaw the enforcement of antitrust laws designed to protect economic freedom and opportunity by promoting competition in the American marketplace.

In late 2002, James stepped down from the DOJ to become vice president and general counsel of Chevron Texaco Corporation. In 2009, he was made executive vice president of Chevron Corporation until he retired in May 2010, joining the adjunct faculty of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law later that year.

During his career, James wrote or contributed to several articles published in antitrust journals. In October 2013, James was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by The American Lawyer, which honors those whose contributions to law and society have made a significant impact. The American Lawyer called James’ career a “professional trifecta,” with success in government, private practice and corporate law.