James Y.C. Sze is a registered patent attorney with over 20 years of experience in applying patent law to business problems. James focuses his practice on advising clients on intellectual property due diligence for corporate transactions, complex domestic and international patent prosecution in the electrical engineering and software technologies, and counseling on patent infringement issues. His practice includes patent portfolio management, identifying technology for IP protection, auditing in-house intellectual property management practices, patent prosecution, and managing international patent litigation, particularly in electrical and medical device patents.

James advises on patent validity, infringement, and enforceability, as well as freedom to operate within a particular technological space. He represents clients in computer graphics, computer communications technology, computer architecture, and bioinformatics, as well as university technology transfer offices. He has represented clients in intellectual property litigation in venues that include U.S. district courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, James also advises his clients on protecting their intellectual property in the Far East. His representative technology areas include medical devices, analog and digital circuits, natural language processing, semiconductors, optics, ultra-violet/laser equipment, image processing, hard disk drives, Radio-Frequency antennas, nanodevices, microprocessor design, computer networking, encryption and data compression, computer simulation, and business methods.

Prior to joining the firm, James was a partner in the San Diego, California office of a national law firm as a member of its Patents Group and he focused on electrical and communications technology, software, and business methods.

As a former engineer with Qualcomm, Inc. in San Diego, California, James designed satellite communications software, messaging systems, and other wireless applications. James also has enforced, licensed, and assisted in the sale of patents he has written.

James was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in 2023 for Patent Law. He was recommended in 2019 by Legal 500 US for Patent Prosecution. James was a finalist for “Top IP Attorney” awarded in 2008 by the San Diego Daily Transcript and was recognized as a semi-finalist for the award in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2014.