James C. Otteson, Former AmLaw 100 Partner, Joins MLA's Partner Practice Group in the Silicon Valley

Hanover, MD (October 5, 2021) — Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world's leading legal search firm, today announced that James C. Otteson has joined as a managing director in the Partner Practice Group based in the firm's Palo Alto office. His 30 years of experience as a Bay Area attorney aids him well in advising partners and law firms on trends and conditions in the lateral market, identifying opportunities and providing strategic insight.

“We are delighted to welcome Jim to our best in class Bay Area team,” said David Maurer, executive director for Law Firm Partner Search. “As a former partner at two AmLaw 100 law firms and the founder of a successful IP litigation boutique, Jim has a unique perspective to assist partners and law firms to reach outcomes that are fruitful for both sides.”

Jim spent the first 18 years of his career as an intellectual property trial lawyer at Silicon Valley-based Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR). During his 11 years as a partner at WSGR, Jim litigated and tried numerous patent and IP cases for both plaintiffs and defendants in U.S. district court and the International Trade Commission (ITC). In 2010, Jim left WSGR to form Agility IP Law, a boutique that litigated and tried complex patent and intellectual property cases throughout the U.S. In 2015, Jim negotiated Agility’s acquisition by Washington, D.C.-based Arnold & Porter where he continued to try and win patent cases (including an appeal in the U.S. Supreme Court) and later worked in the Silicon Valley office of Dechert. In between, Jim founded and ran Luma Soda, a startup that manufactured and sold a healthier soda.

“I’m thrilled to join Major, Lindsey & Africa’s world class team because I know from first-hand experience that they take the time to listen and apply their unique knowledge and experience to facilitate the success of both the candidate and the law firm,” said Jim. “As a former big firm partner, trial lawyer and serial entrepreneur (who appeared on Shark Tank), I am excited to leverage my own unique experience to help both candidates and law firms reach their professional and personal objectives.”

Jim began his career clerking for the Hon. Byron J. Johnson, associate justice for the for the Idaho Supreme Court. He earned his J.D. from Yale Law School and his B.S. from Brigham Young University.