Overview
James is himself a successful small business owner in St. Louis, so he knows first-hand the valuable contribution that a small business can have to a community and its economy. He knows that with the right counsel, the law can be a tool to help businesses achieve their goals of survival, growth and ultimately prosper. While most businesses only consult with attorneys in the wake of a pending lawsuit or emergent business issue, James works with his clients from the onset of the relationship taking time to meet and understand both the people and the business. His goal is to become a counselor and asset to the company.
As a member of the firm’s Business Litigation Service Group, James represents businesses of all sizes in legal and equitable matters. Most frequently, these matters involve contractual disputes, struggles over corporate control, real estate, insurance coverage, intellectual property, as well as TRO and injunction issues.
James serves as outside general counsel to businesses large and small across Missouri and Southern Illinois. He works closely with executive leadership to become a part of the team, coordinating all legal needs across corporate, transactional, litigation, employment, intellectual property, real estate and other disciplines. His clients include craft breweries; beer, wine and alcohol distributors and wholesalers; real estate developers; startup businesses; high net worth individuals and families; and manufacturers to name a few.
Specific to the beverage industry, James provides general project evaluation services and business counsel for startup craft breweries, wineries and distilleries. He handles the entire legal process of starting and growing a business in the beverage industry including: handling federal, state and local application and licensing, real property and site evaluation and negotiation, intellectual property protection, and strategic business guidance. James’s industry clients include manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers who transact business across the country.
Finally, James provides counsel to businesses on what is often one of the biggest influencers on the bottom line – real estate. He regularly handles property assemblage and acquisition, tax and governmental incentives for property redevelopment, community improvement district (CID) formation, LLC formation and governance, project modeling and evaluation for general and limited partners, development and redevelopment, post-development and sales, and the sale of property and/or unwinding in tax incentive developments.
Experience
Membership & Involvement
- Member: Missouri Bar Association; Illinois Bar Association; Texas Bar Association; Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis; American Bar Association (ABA), Section of Litigation; Defense Research Institute (DRI), Professional Liability Section; Saint Louis University High School Alumni Association; Friends of the Saint Louis University Liver Center
Honors
- Selected to Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" list: 2016
Resources & Insights
Speaking Engagements
Firm News
- Hold the Phones: State-level Telemarketing Laws In EffectHold the Phones: State-level Telemarketing Laws In Effect
Keep up to date with both the federal TCPA requirements and several state-level statutes!
- Illinois Pre-Judgment Interest Statute Declared UnconstitutionalIllinois Pre-Judgment Interest Statute Declared Unconstitutional
On May 27, 2022, Judge Marcia Maras in the Circuit Court of Cook County issued a memorandum, holding Illinois’s recently enacted prejudgment interest statute unconstitutional, and holding that the legislation violated both the right of trial by jury and the prohibition against special legislation.
- Illinois Supreme Court Rejects Long Standing Rule and Now Allows Claims for Direct Negligent Actions Against Employers When Agency is AdmittedIllinois Supreme Court Rejects Long Standing Rule and Now Allows Claims for Direct Negligent Actions Against Employers When Agency is Admitted
In an opinion handed down on April 21, 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed Illinois law and now allows direct and vicarious liability actions against employers.
- Spring Tax Time: A Quick Guide to Tax Sales in IndianaSpring Tax Time: A Quick Guide to Tax Sales in Indiana
Property taxes in Indiana are paid twice a year, with payments generally due on May 10 and November 10. However, the spring installment is most significant as it relates to the sale of land for unpaid taxes.
Services
Education
Saint Mary’s University School of Law, J.D., 2006
Saint Louis University, B.S., 2003
Admissions
- Missouri
- Illinois
- Texas