James Lambe

James P. Lambe is a former Fresno criminal defense lawyer who completed 100 jury trials. In trials of life sentence cases, he obtained eight acquittals, four hung jury dismissals, and three in limine motion dismissals.

He employed creativity in settling four death penalty cases. He also concluded thirty-three other murder cases (preventing a murder conviction in eighteen of them) and one hundred and four three strikes cases (preventing a three strikes sentence in ninety-four of them).

He was the trial attorney in two published cases which effected significant changes in California law: People v. Myers (1998) 61 Cal.App.4th 328, 71 Cal.Rptr.2d 518 (self defense) and People v. Howard (2005) 34 Cal.4th 1129, 23 Cal.Rptr.3rd 306 (felony murder).

He was Certified as a Specialist in Criminal Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (1998-2023) and in Criminal Law by the State Bar of California (1994-2024). 

In 2009, he became the first criminal law attorney from the San Joaquin Valley to be named a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, and he is a Barrister of the Order of Centurions.

He is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He has been listed in Marquis Who's Who in America, Marquis Who's Who in American Law, and Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

He is the author of "Right to Speedy Trial" and "Jury Deliberations and Verdict" in California Criminal Law Procedure and Practice (2013-24), "Injury and Death" and "Increased Punishment for Prior Similar Offenses" in California Criminal Sentencing Enhancements (2012-24), and "Monetary Sanctions" in the Contempt Defense Manual (2007, 15).

He was a trial advocacy instructor at the California Public Defenders Association Trial Skills Institute (2001-09, 11, 13-15), and a lecturer on discovery, jury selection, evidence, cross-examination, closing argument, sentencing, ethics, and civility at the California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, the State Bar of California Annual Meeting, and the State Bar of California Section Education Institute (2003-15, 18-19).

In recognition of his writing, instructing, and lecturing, he received the Spirit of CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar) Award in 2008 at the State Bar of California Annual Meeting. 

He served on the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Board of Governors, State Bar of California Criminal Law Advisory Commission, State Bar of California Criminal Law Section Executive Committee, and California Lawyers Association Criminal Law Section Executive Committee.

He was admitted to the California Bar in 1977 and the District of Columbia Bar in 1985. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois.