James Ding

James Ding

Y Combinator Logo Batch: S20

Achievements

  • Founded DraftWise in 2020, a leading AI-driven legal platform transforming law firm workflows
  • Led engineering teams at Palantir, developing big data AI solutions and securing 6 patents in data security, machine learning, and cloud computing
  • Accumulated over 20 years of experience as a full-stack developer and 16 years leading engineering teams
  • Held 14 years of people management roles, focusing on building and leading tech teams
  • Achieved global expansion of DraftWise into EU, Canada, and Australia by 2024
  • Holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science from Emory University

All about James Ding

Allow me to introduce you to the phenomenon that is James Ding. The guy’s a straight-up tech wizard with a wild story. He’s the CEO and co-founder of DraftWise, a killer AI-driven legal platform that’s changing how law firms work. Started this thing back in 2020, and honestly, it’s the real deal. They’re helping lawyers crush it by using AI to tap into collective expertise and past deals, basically giving them superpowers to get better results for clients. And get this, as of 2024, they’ve already gone global, hitting EU, Canada, Australia. No cap.

But James didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. Before DraftWise, he was deep in the trenches at Palantir, working on big data AI solutions. Dude secured like six patents in data security, machine learning, cloud computing, basically, he’s been at the cutting edge of tech for ages. He’s got over 20 years as a full-stack dev, 16 years leading engineering teams, and 14 years managing people. That’s a lifetime of building shit, fixing shit, and making things smarter.

His process started with a Computer Science degree from Emory, and he’s done a bunch of different roles, from computational medical research (yeah, that’s some nerdy science stuff) all the way to leading product teams. Basically, he’s been around the block, always looking for problems worth solving. And when he jumped into legal tech with DraftWise, it wasn’t just about making money, he genuinely wants to make a difference. He’s motivated by impact, by fixing pain points that actually matter.

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What’s kinda dope is that his whole story screams one thing: he’s all about taking complex tech, turning it into something real, and making it accessible. He’s the kind of guy who sees a problem, then jumps in, no BS, no hesitation. And the fact that he’s been able to take all that experience, the patents, the leadership, the deep tech, and build something that’s actually making waves? That’s next level.

Outside of work, he’s pretty chill, loves baking bread (hell yeah, bread makes everything better) and hitting the tennis courts. Basically, a guy who’s all about precision, patience, and enjoying the game, whether it’s on the court or in the boardroom.

So, yeah, James Ding isn’t just another startup founder. He’s a tech OG who’s turned decades of knowledge into something that’s genuinely pushing industries forward. That’s why he’s so important, he’s proof that if you’re passionate, tech-savvy, and willing to solve real problems, you can actually change the game.

Founder ID: 104745

Experience

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