M. James Benes

Mr. Benes graduated from Southern Methodist University with an Honors B.B.A. in Finance and an Honors B.A. in Economics and Psychology, graduating summa cum laude in all three. During his time at Southern Methodist University, Mr. Benes achieved numerous awards in Business, Finance, and Economics, including The Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award in Finance, Outstanding Senior Award from the Cox School of Business, Josef Hadar Award in Economics, and Robert H. Stewart Scholar scholarship from the Cox School of Business. Following graduation, Mr. Benes attended the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University, graduating cum laude. During his time at the Dedman School of Law, Mr. Benes achieved numerous recognitions, his admission to the honors legal society, Phi Delta Phi, and serving as an Articles Editor for the prestigious International Law Review Association, which publishes two law reviews: The International Lawyer and the Law and Business Review of the Americas. Mr. Benes also participated in several law school competitions and was recognized as the Dedman School of Law Champion at the Client Counseling Competition. During law school, Mr. Benes clerked at Locke Liddell & Sapp, LLP; Munsch, Hart, Kopf & Harr, P.C.; as well as for the Attorney General of Texas, Consumer Protection Division.

Following graduation, Mr. Benes accepted an attorney position with the national law firm Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP in Dallas, Texas, where his practice involved a sophisticated transactional practice, including corporate, securities, contracts, compliance and governance, and commercial transactions. Thereafter, Mr. Benes joined the international law firm of K&L Gates LLP, where he continued his transactional practice specializing in corporate, securities, contracts, compliance and governance, commercial, and other transactional matters.

Throughout his practice, Mr. Benes directly advised business owners, major shareholders, potential investors, executive management, and boards of directors on numerous legal and business matters and acted as corporate and transactional counsel to dozens of domestic and international companies. Mr. Benes assisted numerous companies with their contracts, corporate, governance and compliance, securities, and transactional needs. Mr. Benes’s experience includes the following:

• facilitating numerous transactions (including mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, financing, joint ventures, commercial transactions, and more);
• drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts (including contracts dealing with business formations and relationships, commercial arrangements, investment and offering documents, subscription agreements, stock option agreements, option grants, escrow agreements, employment and contractor agreements, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, freight forwarding and transportation agreements, intellectual property rights and licensing arrangements, technology and software contracts, third-party service agreements, leases, marketing and distribution agreements, collaboration and consulting arrangements, purchase and sale agreements, and more);
• the formation, conversion, governance, and dissolution of domestic and foreign entities, including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and non-profits;
• providing legal analysis of entity documents, commercial contracts, entity structure and characteristics, business operations, and risk analysis;
• drafting and reviewing securities offerings and filings (including PPMs, Form S-1’s, Form 10-K’s, Form 10-Q’s, all types of Form 8-K’s, Schedule 14A’s, Schedule 14C’s, Schedule TO’s, annual reports, proxy materials, and more) under federal and state securities laws, including the 1933 and 1934 Acts, the Investment Advisor Act of 1940, the Investment Company Act of 1940, and numerous states’ Blue Sky laws;
• aiding with matters involving local, state, and federal government agencies;
• advising on corporate governance and compliance matters;
• advising on securities issuance and compliance matters;
• providing legal opinions; and
• advising business owners, management, and boards of directors with respect to the interpretation of local, state, and federal statutes and regulations; licensing matters; employment and personnel issues; proprietary and intellectual property rights; bankruptcy and solvency matters; D&O fiduciary duties and liabilities; blackout dates; insider trading policies; and other general law concerns.

   

  Mr. Benes authored and presented continuing legal education seminars to the legal and business community, including “The Texas Business Organizations Code for Real Estate Attorneys,” Real Estate Section, Texas Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar, May 17, 2006 (author and presenter) and “Ready for 2006? Life Under the New Texas Business Organizations Code,” Corporate Law Section, Texas Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar, November 9, 2005 (author and presenter). Aside from practicing law, Mr. Benes enjoys reading, writing, tennis, travel, chess, and spending time with his wife and family.