Jim is an experienced deal lawyer focused in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and complex commercial relationships. With a unique breadth of experience spanning strategic, financial and operational levels, Jim has counseled clients through the structuring, negotiation and implementation of public and private transactions valued in excess of $10 billion in energy, chemical, financial services, higher education and other sectors. He has experience in the negotiation of capital project agreements, corporate and asset-based financing, swaps and various other derivatives. His practice is national in scope and includes clients that are leaders in their industries as well as midsized and smaller companies.
Awards & Recognitions
· The Best Lawyers in America, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2008-2012
· Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2011
· Missouri Lawyers Weekly, "Up and Coming Lawyers," 2009
Professional Associations & Memberships
· The Missouri Bar
Civic Involvement
· Harvard Schools Committee, Kansas City
· Head Start of Shawnee Mission, Board of Directors, 1999-2009
Experience
Energy Utilities
· Represented Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. and Liberty Utilities Co. in their $125 million acquisition of the gas distribution utility assets of Atmos Energy in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa
· Represented Algonquin Power and Liberty Utilities in their $285 million acquisition of electric distribution utility Granite State Electric Co. and local gas distribution utility EnergyNorth Natural Gas Inc. in New Hampshire from National Grid
· Advised NV Energy Inc. in its $35 million sale of cellular communications towers and lease of underlying substation property in the Las Vegas metropolitan area in 2011
· Represented NV Energy in the $136 million sale of its California electric distribution utility assets in 2010
· Counseled Aquila Inc. in the $292 million bifurcated sale of its Kansas regulated electric utility assets to Sunflower Electric Power Corp. and Westar Energy in 2007
Power Generation
· Represent Algonquin Power in the $888 million acquisition, joint venture and tax equity financing of wind power facilities totaling 480 megawatts in Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Texas announced in March 2012
· Counseled Georgia-Pacific LLC with respect to its 2010 acquisition of a biomass co-generation plant certified as a qualifying facility as part of its acquisition of major wood pulp mills in Alabama
· Represented Aquila in the 2004 sale of its 50% interest in a 620-megawatt combined-cycle gas-fired merchant power plant and certain transmission-related assets to Calpine Corp.
· Advised Aquila in its entry into a $1.5 billion transaction for the acquisition of an independent power producer that held interests in more than 20 independent power plants and had six merchant power plants under construction
· Represented Aquila in the $225 million acquisition of a subsidiary of FirstEnergy that held interests in independent power plants in six states
Midstream Natural Gas
· Represented Koch Pipeline in the 2011 sale of a lateral diesel pipeline in Texas
· Advised a midstream natural gas company in its bid to acquire interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines in Kansas and Oklahoma in 2009
· Represented Inergy L.P. in its 2008 acquisition of a controlling interest in an 18 billion cubic feet depleted reservoir gas storage project then under development in Texas
· Represented Kansas Energy Partners LLC in connection with its 2006 disposition of a controlling interest in its natural gas marketing business to Itochu Corp.
· Represented Aquila in the 2004 disposition of various energy-related derivatives and in the proposed disposition of multiple long-term natural gas supply agreements and related derivatives
· Represented Aquila in the $265 million sale of its natural gas gathering, distribution and transmission assets in Texas and Oklahoma to Energy Transfer in 2003
· Represented Aquila in the formation of a joint venture with ArcLight Capital for the $220 million acquisition of the Lodi underground gas storage facility then under construction in California, including advance payment of $110 million in the form of a secured construction loan from the joint venture to the seller
News & Publications
News
3.23.12, Husch Blackwell Represents Algonquin Power Co. in $888 Million Acquisition
3.9.12, AmLaw Daily: Husch Blackwell Leads Algonquin Power in $888 Million Wind Energy Deal
10.19.11, Super Lawyers 2011 Names 71 Husch Blackwell Attorneys from Missouri and Nebraska; an Additional 15 Listed as Rising Stars
9.6.11, More Than 100 Husch Blackwell Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers 2012
9.29.09, Five Husch Blackwell Sanders Attorneys Named "Up & Coming Lawyers"
5.1.09, Husch Blackwell Sanders Represents NV Energy in Agreement to Sell California Electric Assets
Publications
2.5.10, FTC Announces Decreased Hart-Scott-Rodino Thresholds for 2010
2.1.10, DOJ Announces $900,000 Settlement with Smithfield Foods for "Gun Jumping"