William James

William James is the Senior Director of Compliance and Fund Operations for New Voices Fund. He has over 26 years of legal experience, including significant experience in various areas of corporate and litigation matters. At New Voices, Mr. James’ main responsibilities include legal and corporate due diligence review of transactional matters, corporate compliance, and managing operational matters of the Fund. 

Before joining New Voices, Mr. James was the Manager of Paralegal Services for Squire Patton Boggs. In this role, he was responsible for the annual budget, oversight, and management of the firm’s paralegal department, including the recruitment and training of paralegals nationwide. He also analyzed project profitability, revenue margins, billing rates, and utilization.

In addition to his managerial duties and caseload, Mr. James assisted with the representation of target investment funds as well as portfolio companies on acquisitions, dispositions, and mergers. Specifically, during his time at Squire Patton Boggs, he began working with New Voices Fund in 2018. Mr. James was also an active member of Squire Patton Boggs’s Pro Bono Committee. In partnership with the NAACP, his assistance was instrumental in achieving a positive settlement for Black Bikers unjustly targeted during “Black Bike Week” in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Mr. James also previously served as the Treasurer of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (“SCLC”), Maryland Chapter and also served as a contract criminal investigator with the District of Columbia’s Public Defenders Office. 

Mr. James graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology.