James is a Senior Associate within Hassans’ international cross-border corporate, commercial and tax team, and advises a spectrum of US and European MNEs, family offices, and PE/VC firms (each of whom operate in a many varying sectors and industries). James also liaises with, and is also customarily seen being instructed by professional intermediaries, notably legal (Magic Circle and US/UK City law firms), accounting (Big 4), and independent corporate services providers from a wide range of jurisdictions.
Since joining Hassans in 2015, James is regularly instructed on a large variety of corporate mandates, including SPV establishment/incorporations, corporate re-structuring and maintenance, M&A, cross-border leveraged, equity and debt financing transactions, financial assistance, liquidations, joint-ventures, project management and corporate governance matters.
Below are illustrations of the recent mandates James has been instructed, including advising:
- On all Gibraltar corporate and legal aspects in relation to an initial US Bankruptcy Chapter 11 emergence, and subsequent large scale ~USD 1 billion note issuance, ancillary financing, and corporate restructuring following group consolidation (including debt/equity swaps), of a large offshore drilling corporate group;
- a large family office’s entry (via their incorporation of a Gibraltar SPV), into a joint-venture acquisition of substantial German real estate (inclusive of ongoing capital financing mechanics and distribution flow aspects in connection therewith);
- on the purchase of UK real estate by a UHNW private client (via the acquisition of shares of a technically insolvent Gibraltar SPV and corresponding consideration of ancillary financial assistance aspects in relation to the same);
- on the initial financing (and subsequent secured refinancing and amendment) of an LSE listed gaming group’s ~GBP 1.4 billion merger and acquisition of an online gambling group;
- an LSE listed online derivatives trading platform’s entity rationalisation project (inclusive of all requisite steps in pursuance of the assignment/novation and settlement of extensive intra-group positions);
- a NYSE listed international online payment gateway provider on the cross-border legal and equitable jurisdictional transfers of its respective business interests;
- on the steps, processes and implementation of the re-domiciliation (by way of continuation from Gibraltar to Italy), of an MIL listed wind power operator’s hitherto Gibraltar SPV;
- on the corporate restructuring and subsequent winding-up (by way of member’s voluntary liquidations) of a global technology software enterprises’ legacy structure; and
- the sole bookrunner in connection with a Gibraltar based corporate group’s issuance of a EUR 58,000,000 bond listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
Education & Background
A graduate from the University of Surrey and University College London, James holds a specialist LLM Master’s Degree in Corporate Law. Prior to joining the legal profession in Gibraltar, James worked in the United States of America at the New York City Council as a legislative and policy analyst for Letitia James, the current Attorney General of New York.
James is a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, and was Called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2014, and subsequently in Gibraltar in 2015.
Publications:
‘Institutional Investors and the Stewardship Code: An Analysis of why Institutional Investors do not Monitor or Engage’ International Company and Commercial Law Review, 2017 28(3), 107-114.
