James Culp

 James Culp heads the courts-marital practice of our firm.  A former paratrooper, infantry sergeant, and veteran trial lawyer, James is the first military officer to serve nearly six consecutive years with the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service as a Military Defense Counsel and Senior Military Defense Counsel.  Over the last decade, he has successfully represented more than 1500 Soldiers, Sailors Airmen and Marines throughout the United States, Japan, Korea, Germany, England, Bosnia and Iraq.  His unmatched passion for representing the men and women who defend our nation, coupled with his extensive experience and unwavering commitment will provide you with the strongest defense possible.

James enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantry private in May of 1987. After serving two years in the 82nd Airborne Division as a rifleman and a scout, he transferred to the “Berlin Brigade,” in Germany.  There, as an infantry sergeant, he personally witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall.  This was a powerful moment for James.  It was when it became clear to him that the rule of law was more powerful than any military.  At the conclusion of the Gulf War in 1991, James left the Army to pursue a legal education.   

Utilizing educational benefits earned as a Soldier (the GI Montgomery Bill and the Army College Fund), James graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCLA where he earned a double major in both History and German.  He has been inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society as well as the Golden Key National Honor Society.   

James subsequently graduated from the UC Berkeley School of Law, one of the nation’s most prestigious law schools.  Having earned honors in more than half of his law school classes, James was also the recipient of the Berkeley Law School Moot Court Commendation.  Over several following years, James went on to share his love for trial work and advocacy with high school students as a volunteer mock trial instructor. (Read story).

James Culp and Lance Corporal Justin Sharrat during the Haditha Murder case Article 32 Investication.

As both a civilian defense counsel and former Senior Military Defense Counsel in Seoul, Korea and at Camp Victory, Baghdad, James has represented U.S. military members in the most high-profile cases stemming from the prolonged conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.  (High Profile Cases).  James was also personally selected by the Chief of the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service to represent SGT Charles Jenkins, a Soldier who had spent nearly 40 years in North Korea after deserting the Army in 1965 (Read stories).

Formerly named the “best” company grade Senior Military Defense Counsel in the United States Army, James has been able to obtain an extraordinary number of acquittals and case dismissals for his clients.  Notably, in a single two month period of time in the winter of 2005, four different Soldiers represented by James, in both Korea and Japan, were acquitted of rape in separate and un-related contested courts-marital tried before different military panels. (Read stories).  In 2006, 2007, and 2008, James has continued to produce remarkable results for his clients (Read Resent Results).

James is a member of the California State Bar and he has been a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars since 1991. He is the recipient of the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Army Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (x4), the Army Achievement Medal (x5), the Army of Occupation Medal, the Army Expeditionary Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (x2), and the NATO Medal.

A Texas native, James is a devoted family man, son, brother, husband and father.  He and his wife of ten years have two lovely children. They reside in Texas where James is an active member of his neighborhood and community.