James, Ethan T. | Lawyers | Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Ethan T. James

Partner

ethan.james@davispolk.com

Mr. James is a partner in our Financial Institutions Group whose practice focuses on the insurance industry. He has represented PartnerRe, Cigna and Montpelier Re on corporate and transactional matters. 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 advised on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and other financing transactions for insurance companies, including transactions involving ACA Capital, 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 Syncora, a financial guaranty insurance company
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 listed in guides to the world’s leading business lawyers, including IFLR1000: Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms and 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 Advises Verisk Analytics on Its Initial Public Offering

Davis Polk Advises 23 Financial Institutions in Connection with Comprehensive Restructuring of Monoline Insurer Syncora Guarantee Inc.

IPC Holdings to Be Acquired by Validus Holdings

Davis Polk Advises PartnerRe on Its Acquisition of PARIS RE

CIGNA Corporation Senior Notes Offering

IPC Holdings Buys Max Capital Group

Davis Polk Advises Government on Transactions with AIG

The Hartford Debt Offering

PartnerRe Senior Notes Offering

The Hartford Debt Offering

CIGNA Corporation Senior Notes Offering

The Hartford Debt Offering

MBIA Common Stock Offering

Publications

Summary of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Passed by the House of Representatives, December 11, 2009
Client Memorandum

Summary of the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2009, Introduced by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) November 10, 2009 Discussion Draft
Client Memorandum

FDIC Extends Cautious Welcome To Private Capital Investments In Failed Banks
Client Memorandum

The Regulatory Reform Marathon
Client Memorandum

FDIC Proposes Conditions for Investments in Failed Banks by Private Capital Investors
Client Memorandum

A New Foundation for Financial Regulation?
Client Memorandum

Obama Administration White Paper on Financial Regulatory Reform: Executive Summary and Outline of Key Proposals
Client Newsflash

The National Conference Insurance Legislators' Model CDS Bill
Client Memorandum

The Debate Over Federal Insurance Regulation
Client Memorandum

Treasury's Proposed Resolution Authority for Systemically Significant Financial Companies
Client Memorandum

Treasury's Rules of the Road for Regulatory Reform
Client Memorandum

The Public-Private Investment Program
Client Memorandum

The Financial Stability Plan and its Impact on Financial Institutions and Private Capital
Client Memorandum

UK and US Financial Rescue Packages - A Survey
Client Memorandum

The Struggle Over the Second Half of TARP
Client Memorandum

New York and SEC Move to Regulate Credit Default Swaps
Client Newsflash

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