Ethan T. James

Partner

ethan.james@davispolk.com

Mr. James is a partner in Davis Polk’s Financial Institutions Group whose practice focuses on the insurance industry. Most recently, he has advised the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the U.S. Treasury on the AIG situation and PartnerRe on its acquisition of Paris Re. He has also represented PartnerRe and Cigna on corporate and transactional matters. He has advised on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and other financing transactions for insurance companies, including transactions involving ACA Capital, Ambac, Conseco, IPC Re, Liberty Mutual, MBIA, Nationwide, PMI, Syncora, The Hartford, Verisk Analytics and Travelers. Mr. James has worked on insurance-related structured products, including catastrophe bonds and hybrid securities and has advised clients on a range of legislative and regulatory initiatives affecting the insurance industry.

Recently, he has provided pro bono advice in connection with the publication of A Handbook for Injured Service Members and Their Families and Handbook for Families of Deceased Service Members by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and the Wounded Warrior Project, non-profit organizations that provide support to members of the armed forces and their families.

Contact

Add to Outlook
New York
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
P: 212-450-4244
F: 212-701-5244

Related Practices

Financial Institutions

Bar Admissions

State of New York

Education

B.S., Ohio State University, 1988
J.D., Yale Law School, 1994

Work Highlights

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the U.S. Treasury on the AIG situation
Financial institution counterparties on the regulatory aspects of the restructuring of the financial guarantors Ambac and Syncora
Morgan Stanley and the co-managers in connection with a series of transactions for Conseco, Inc.
J.P. Morgan, Citigroup and the other underwriters in AIG’s five-tranche offering for over $20 billion
Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan in MBIA’s offering of common stock and surplus notes for $2.15 billion
Citigroup, J.P. Morgan and Banc of America Securities on multiple transactions for Liberty Mutual, including the first hybrid security offering for a mutual holding company
DLJ Merchant Banking on insurance regulatory aspects of its investment in Health Markets (formerly UICI)
Talanx on U.S. regulatory aspects of its acquisition of the direct insurance operations of Gerling
Crestview Partners on its investment in Lancashire Holdings and in the reinsurance operations of Axa
Montpelier Re on its investment in Blue Ocean Re
PartnerRe on its investment in ChannelRe, the financial guarantee reinsurer

Recognition

Mr. James is recognized as a leading lawyer in several legal industry publications, including:

Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
IFLR1000: Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms
Practical Law Company’s Which lawyer? Yearbook

Professional History

Partner, 2003-present
Associate, 1994-2003
London office, 1996-1999
Tokyo office, part of 1995
Project Engineer, Exxon Co. USA, 1988-1991

News

Davis Polk Represents Financial Institution Policyholders in connection with Commutation by Ambac of its CDO of ABS exposures

CIGNA Corporation Senior Notes Offering

The PMI Group, Inc.’s Common Stock and Convertible Senior Notes Offerings

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Client Publications

Davis Polk Regulatory Implementation Slides
Client Memorandum

Summary of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Passed by the House of Representatives on June 30, 2010
Client Memorandum

Financial Reform Side-by-Side Comparison Chart – Key Senate and House Bill Issues
Client Memorandum

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