James Howard

James is a seasoned business attorney with a wide-ranging practice encompassing several specialties. He provides counsel to large national and multi-national companies, small businesses, and individuals. James is particularly adept at advising companies in highly regulated industries and is sought after for his specific expertise in the telecommunications, credit union, and insurance industries. He is routinely engaged by credit unions and community banks across the country to advise on technology-related transactions, regulatory issues, and other specialized financial institution matters. James also has a passion for helping small businesses and individuals with their legal needs. He is one of Texas’s foremost experts in business entity matters, having published two articles in the Baylor Law Review on entity-related topics. He routinely assists clients with entity formation and governance issues. In connection with this work, James has also developed a strong estate planning practice with a focus on planning for business owners, company executives, and high net worth individuals.

James has a unique sense for negotiation and deal-making and prides himself on gaining an in-depth understanding of his clients’ businesses and industries. His goals are to be responsive, knowledgeable, and available to achieve positive outcomes for his clients on all fronts.

James is also a sought-after lecturer and educator on business law topics. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Baylor Law School where he teaches an advanced course on transactional law practice. He has also taught classes on small business topics for the City of Austin and Austin Community College.

Areas of Practice

General Business Law
Corporate Law
Real Estate Law
Estate Planning

Bar Admissions

Texas, 2011

Education

Baylor University School of Law, Waco, Texas
J.D. – 2011
Honors: cum laude
Honors: Recipient of the Dean’s Academic Scholarship
Honors: Recipient of the William R. Trail Award
Honors: Recipient William J. Boswell Memorial Award
Honors: Recipient of the Jerry L. Beane Award for Excellence in Legal Writing
Law Review: Baylor Law Review, Executive Editor, 2009 – 2011

Louisiana State University Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana
B.A. – 2008
Honors: magna cum laude
Honors: International Lincoln Foundation Fellow
Major: Political Science

Published Works

Where Do We Go From Here?: A Survey of Series LLCs in Texas in Light of the Federal Tax Classification for the Organization, 63 Baylor L. Rev. 850
A Kink in the Shield: Evanston Insurance Co. v. Dillards Department Store Inc. and the State of Limited Liability for Limited Liability Partnerships in Texas, 63 Baylor L. Rev. 268

Professional Associations and Memberships

State Bar of Texas, Member, 2011 – Present
Business Law Section, 2012 – Present
Travis County Bar Association, 2012 – Present
Austin Bar Association, 2012 – Present
Austin Young Lawyers Association, 2012 – Present