Jim Banowsky, a former software engineer who also spent more than a decade as an IP attorney with Microsoft Corp., has been named general counsel of Garland, Texas- based technology solutions company, AmpThink, according to an announcement from the company Friday.

AmpThink specializes in implementing wireless internet in large public venues such as sports stadiums, shopping malls, airports and convention centers.

In the announcement, Bill Anderson, president of AmpThink, described Banowsky as “a well-rounded attorney that will strengthen our company in many ways.”

“In particular, our data collection and analytics practice is growing fast and exploring many new frontiers. Jim's expertise in IP will help to define and protect our inventions as they emerge from our R&D efforts,” Anderson said.

Banowsky, a Texas native, said in the announcement he is glad to be back home and “excited to be joining the innovative team at AmpThink.”

AmpThink did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.

Banowsky has not always been an attorney. According to his LinkedIn profile, before enrolling in law school at Oklahoma City University School of Law, he worked as a software engineer. His work included a stint at The Boeing Co. where he worked on B-1 flight simulator software from 1985 to 1987.

From 1999 to 2004, his LinkedIn profile says he worked as an attorney for Lee & Hayes in Spokane, Washington, where he represented clients on patent preparation and prosecution. His clients during that time included Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft.

He joined the latter in 2004, where he served as a senior attorney focusing on IP, including on portfolio development for Microsoft's PC-phone-tablet OS group, according to LinkedIn. Banowsky left Microsoft in March 2016 for private practice before joining law firm Han Santos in Seattle to focus on intellectual property, business transactions and property law.