Ken James, Attorney

Ken is a partner in the firm's San Diego office, where he specializes in general business and commercial transactions, business litigation and environmental law. He has worked for several nationally prominent law firms, including Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton (over 500 attorney California based business firm) and Hawkins, Delafield & Wood (over 100 attorney Wall Street based business firm), externed for a Federal District Court Judge in San Diego, and has taught at several law schools.

Areas of Practice:

Corporate and Business Transactions: – Ken has represented businesses ranging from small family owned entities to large Fortune 500 companies in a wide range of business matters, including: General Corporate Representation - Strategic counseling on formation, governance, ownership and structure, operations, financing, liquidity events and wealth planning for corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and other business entities. Includes advising and drafting business documents relating to ongoing business needs and joint ventures.

Banking and Venture Capital Financings: – Represented companies and banks in connection with various types of loans, lines of credit, purchase funds, bridge loans and other debt instruments. Served foreign and domestic banks as lenders and providers of credit enhancement in secured and unsecured financings. Advised venture capitalists and companies in negotiating venture capital and bridge financings. Mergers and Acquisitions – Advised both sellers and buyers in complex stock and asset transactions, mergers and reorganizations. The transactions have involved both large and small companies with puts, calls and earn-outs.

Real Estate: – Represented buyers and sellers of commercial and residential real estate, and landlords and tenants in connection with office and industrial leases.

General Litigation and Environmental Law: – Ken has represented large and small companies in connection with business disputes, shareholders and owners of companies in connection with ownership disagreements, and has facilitated the workout of various business and real estate transactions. He has litigated in state and federal courts in California at the trial and appellate courts, and has experience in arbitration and in mediation. Ken also has experience in advising companies in connection with environmental contamination and has been engaged in complex superfund litigation and private cost recovery actions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA"), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA") and various state and environmental laws.

Education, Professional Qualifications and Activities:
Ken received his B.A. from Stanford University in 1990, and his J.D. from California Western School of Law, cum laude (top 10%) in 1994. While in law school, he earned the "Executive Editor" position of the Law Review, and authored and published College Sports and NCAA Enforcement Procedures, Does the NCAA Play Fairly?, 29 Cal. Western L. Rev. 429 (Spring 1993), which the National Law Review put on its "worth reading" list soon thereafter. He also taught as an honors instructor in the Legal Research and Writing program at Cal Western, and received top honors in Business Organizations and Legal Research and Writing. While at Stanford, Ken played wide receiver for the football team.