James Hurt

About James Hurt

I am a Partner in the Intellectual Property Group at Sheppard. I received my juris doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2016, graduating valedictorian, summa cum laude, and Order of the Coif. I have a Master of Engineering in electrical and computer engineering (2002) and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering (1998), both from the University of California, San Diego. I am a seasoned litigator specializing in patent litigation matters related to wireless communications, internet technologies, position location, integrated circuits, and mobile device technologies. With comprehensive experience in all facets of patent litigation—I excel in navigating complex legal landscapes. A registered patent attorney, I also prosecute patents across diverse technology areas, including wireless communications, artificial intelligence, and online gaming, and have successfully represented clients in inter partes reviews and patent infringement lawsuits.With 15 years of real-world engineering expertise, particularly in wireless communications and digital signal processing, I integrate my technical acumen with legal proficiency to effectively advocate for my clients. Before my legal career, I was a Principal Engineer/Manager at Qualcomm, Inc, where I am a named inventor on 14 patents and earned the company\'s Annual Achievement Award twice.I also serve on the Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego (PALSD) Board of Directors and have chaired or co-chaired the Mentorship Committee since 2022. I regularly organize and plan events that bring attorneys and law students together and I have mentored many law students and junior associates over the years.I am the 2025 recipient of the University of San Diego School of Law\'s Rising Star Recent Alumni Award.

Experience

1. Partner

   Sheppard

   Mar 2026 — Present · San Diego, CA, US

Education

• Illinois Institute of Technology

  Electrical Engineering

  1993 — 1994

• University of San Diego School of Law

  Juris Doctor (J.D.), Intellectual Property Law

  2013 — 2016

• University of California, San Diego

  Master of Engineering (MEng), Electrical Engineering

  1998 — 2002

• University of California, San Diego

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Electrical Engineering

  1995 — 1998

Skills

• Wireless Communications Systems
• Patent Law
• Embedded Software
• Asic
• Rf
• Patent Litigation
• Vhdl
• Managing Technical Personnel
• Arm
• C++
• Rtl Design
• 3gpp
• Adaptive Filtering
• Evdo
• Patent Prosecution
• Perl
• Embedded Systems
• Digital Signal Processing
• Soc
• Demodulation
• Digital Filters
• Management
• Nfc
• Bluetooth
• Wireless Technologies
• Cdma
• Legal Research
• Patents
• Legal Writing
• Wireless