James A. Kennedy, II

Jim’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, strategic corporate transactions, joint ventures and general corporate law. Jim is a partner on the firm’s corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions team. Using a practical, business-oriented approach, he works closely with public and private companies of all sizes to facilitate the closing of their most significant transactions as efficiently as possible. These transactions include mergers and acquisitions, strategic corporate transactions, carve-outs, joint ventures and securities offerings. Jim also counsels clients on general corporate matters and corporate governance matters. On a pro bono basis, he represents 501(c)(3) entities regarding corporate governance, contractual protections and other transactional matters.

• Regularly represents a publicly traded Fortune 1000 consumer lawn and garden products company in connection with mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic transactions.
• Regularly represents a publicly traded Fortune 500 global auto parts manufacturer in connection with domestic, international and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic transactions.
• Represented a custodian appointed by the Delaware Court of Chancery to sell a privately held manufacturer and supplier of food oils and related products.
• Represented a publicly traded telecommunications services company in its $800 million acquisition of a publicly traded wireless phone service provider.
• Represented publicly traded lumber and building materials company in its $1.5 billion merger of equals with a privately held building materials company, to form a premier provider of diversified building products and construction services.
• Represented parking space sensor technology start-up in Series A financing and acquisition of complementary parking meter business.
• Represented publicly traded vehicle and industrial paint and coating manufacturer in acquisition of substantially all the assets of a manufacturer of automotive paints and coatings.
• Represented a privately held global provider of payments technology and services in its acquisition of a privately held multi-channel commerce technology company.
• Represented a private equity firm in its sale of a regulated water distribution utility business.
• Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of a manufacturer of precision rolls and specialized web handling machinery.
• Represented a private equity firm in its acquisition of a manufacturer of systems for web fed converting applications.
• Represented a closely held corporation in its acquisition of a provider of sheet metal fabrication services.
• Represented a provider of heavy civil construction services in its sale to a privately held general contracting business.
• Represented a publicly traded pharmaceutical company in its $500 million sale to a publicly traded eye health company.
• Represented a manufacturer and builder of modular housing in its sale to a private equity firm.
• Represented a publicly traded biotechnology company in its $200 million sale to a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company.
• Represented a privately held provider of healthcare software and service solutions in its acquisition of a provider of patient encounter data collection.
• Represented a publicly traded provider of traffic management solutions in the sale of its vehicle sensors business to a privately held technology company.
• Represented a privately held PCB manufacturer in its acquisition of a closely-held PCB manufacturer.
• Represented a publicly traded pharmaceutical company in the delisting and deregistration of its common stock.
• Represented a publicly traded wireless communications company in its $100 million Rule 144A offering.
• Represented a publicly traded medical device company in its $41 million follow-on public offering.
• Represented a publicly traded medical device company in its $20 million follow-on public offering.

• Selected as One to Watch for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities/Capital Markets Law, The Best Lawyers in America, 2024
• Profiled as a “Rising Star,” The Deal, May 2020
• Recipient, M&A Atlas Award “USA Deal of the Year - $500-750 Million Markets,” 2016

• American Bar Association, Business Law Section; Member, Mergers and Acquisitions Committee
• Bar Association of the City of Richmond, Business Law Section