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James Howard, Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee, PLLC Photo

James T. Howard

Member

Profile

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.

Affiliations

Civic & Professional

State Bar of Texas, Business Law Section

Travis County Bar Association

Austin Bar Association

Austin Young Lawyers Association

News & Insights

Publications

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

Beyond the Law

At home, James enjoys spending time with his wife, Abby, and two children, Ben and Mae. He is a self-taught web developer and programmer (Javascript and Python) and in his limited free time enjoys computer and technology related pursuits. Beyond that, James enjoys weightlifting (powerlifting specifically) and cooking (Cantonese dishes are his favorite).

Admissions

  • State Bar of Texas, 2011

Education

Baylor University School of Law, J.D., 2011

  • cum laude
  • Dean’s Academic Scholarship
  • William R. Trail Award
  • William J. Boswell Memorial Award
  • Jerry L. Beane Award for Excellence in Legal Writing
  • Baylor Law Review, Executive Editor, 2009 – 2011

Louisiana State University Shreveport, B.A. in Political Science, 2008

  • magna cum laude
  • International Lincoln Foundation Fellow

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