Instructing upper level students in commercial contract principles and drafting techniques.

I am an accomplished C-Suite business lawyer. A value-creating leader who translates complex legal challenges into actionable business solutions. I am currently seeking my next opportunity and can be reached at: kennethjames1011@gmail.com

General Counsel and Director Government Affairs. Reported to CEO. Major accomplishments:Completed sale and lease back of two U.S. manufacturing facilities, Canada Distribution center, and U.S. headquarters facility in four transactions totaling $25 million.Led Legal team in negotiation of $150 million credit facility.Created a Privacy Council to monitor and manage business’ compliance with U.S. and EU privacy laws.Advised Information Technology on data protection protocols and policies.Managed communication with local, State and Federal elected officials and agencies on critical issues regarding plant closures.

Provided counsel to commercial and functional operations on a broad range of tactical and strategic issues. Responsible for managing the company’s litigation and risk portfolios. • Legal counsel on executive team which successfully negotiated renewal of a distribution agreement with a customer group that accounted for 11% of annual revenue.• Managed investigation and achieved favorable resolution of Fair Labor Standards Act matters.• Managed investigation, litigation, and defense of class action claims against the company.• Member of executive team that restructured $830 million of bonds improving liquidity and balance sheet by implementing a three-part transaction involving a new bond offering, issuance of a new class of stock, and redemption of the existing bonds. Managed due diligence for new bond and preferred stock offerings, reviewed all transaction documents, and as corporate secretary, drafted all resolutions authorizing transactions. • Managed 6-month disaster recovery project which affected 60,000 square feet of corporate headquarters. Structured and settled the related insurance claims.

Executive legal counsel for a wide range of strategic business projects. Key client groups included Business Strategy, Operations, Sales, and Marketing departments. • Lead counsel on 3 strategic asset dispositions valued at $625+ million. Managed preparation and review of due diligence, drafted and negotiated transaction documents, closed each transaction, and met market level financial commitments.• Lead counsel for a strategic restructure of distribution network generating multi-million dollars of incremental revenue and creating a dedicated distributor network. Drafted and negotiated 5-year distribution agreements. • Lead counsel in a trademark licensing transaction creating multiple millions of dollars in shareholder value by spinning off a product line and negotiating a restructured agreement with a VC. • Managed defense and settlement of an environmental property damage class action suit consisting of 4,500 property owners near a company production facility with a Plaintiff demand of $45 million resulting in a settlement of $2 million.• Identified and implemented eDiscovery software system saving thousands of dollars per case by creating in-house e-discovery capability. Managed label database ensuring governmental compliance. Improved accuracy and efficiency of label management process.

• Managed negotiations with county water commission to preserve critical waste water discharge rights that were essential for operation of a recently acquired production facility.• Developed a contract structure to facilitate financing for a product distribution business.• As temporary General Counsel, conducted a review of FCPA compliance by European based sales agents for global supplier of airport security equipment.

Legal counsel and member of executive commercial strategy team. Key client groups included Procurement, Sales, and Distribution Management.• Drafted and negotiated new distribution agreements for hundreds of distributors creating millions of dollars in incremental marketing funds to support new product introduction.• Generated millions of dollars in incremental revenue by drafting and negotiating an industry-changing distribution agreement. • Led the successful purchase of a multi-million dollar production facility, a strategic necessity to support demand for a new product category.• Innovated a sales and product distribution plan approved by company auditors permitting “forward sale” of inventory that would have otherwise been unsalable due to a sudden change of an existing supplier contract.

Business Partner and advisor to product management, sales function, and lighting systems business.• Received a CEO Award for winning proposal securing a new $90 million a year customer.• Led and closed acquisition of high-tech lighting company owning a patent and structured transaction to avoid sharing of intellectual property under a patent cross-license agreement.• Advised Sales & Marketing on product advertising including “environmentally friendly” and “green” claims.• Assisted Marketing teams in developing proper substantiation of product performance and product comparison claims.• Managed product liability litigation companywide. • Managed dealer termination and coordinated with joint venture partner legal to defend both parties in the JV.• Managed product safety including recalls under Consumer Product Safety Act involving notifying government agencies and managing product recall activates preventing penalties.

Led legal team on 25 divestitures, acquisitions and joint ventures having a combined transaction value of $425 million. Advisor to businesses on a broad range of matters including antitrust, commercial law, and bankruptcy.• Formed a joint venture with a Japanese company becoming the exclusive distributor for a consumer product.