ATLANTA (August 7, 2014) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) announces that James J. Black has joined the firm as a partner in its Corporate and International practice groups. Black’s practice focuses on advising non-U.S. companies, particularly those from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, on a wide range of legal matters relating to their U.S. operations. He will be based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
Black has advised on numerous cross-border mergers and acquisitions, as well as commercial and capital markets transactions of all sizes, ranging from high-profile, multi-billion dollar auction processes to privately negotiated strategic acquisitions of smaller companies. He also advises non-U.S. companies on the establishment and administration of American Depositary Receipt programs and on a variety of U.S. securities law issues.
“We are pleased to have Jim come aboard as part of our International Practice Group,” said Steve Forte, managing partner of SGR. “His experience handling major transactions in the M&A sector, particularly for German businesses, complements one of our firm’s traditional strengths. He will add depth and enhanced capabilities to our already thriving German corporate practice.”
Black is fully bilingual in German and English, having worked in Germany for almost 10 years, most recently as a partner at a leading global law firm, and he regularly provides German, Austrian and Swiss clients with U.S. law advice in the German language. He publishes articles in the financial and legal press and lectures on U.S. legal topics of relevance to non-U.S. companies, including corporate and compliance issues. Black is active in numerous professional organizations, including the German American Law Association, the American Academy in Berlin, the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany, and the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, and he previously served as executive vice president of the American German Business Club in Frankfurt.
Black received his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University, his master’s degree in German literature from the University of Virginia, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia. Prior to joining SGR, Black worked for leading international law firms in Washington, D.C. and Frankfurt, Germany and, prior to that, was a Robert Bosch Fellow in Berlin.