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James Larkin Smith is a corporate, M&A, and securities associate in King & Spalding's Houston office. James' practice focuses on representing public and private companies in their mergers & acquisitions, securities, and governance matters across several industries, including energy, financial services, and FinTech. 

James represents public and private clients, including private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, in complex corporate and transactional matters such as acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and investments. He also advises clients on U.S. securities laws matters (such as annual Exchange Act reporting and Securities Act compliance), corporate governance, and other corporate matters. 

Prior to joining the firm, James served as Honors Intern to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissioner Hester M. Peirce in Washington, DC. James also interned for the Honorable Nannette A. Baker of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, during the fall of 2019.

Upon graduating from law school, James was awarded the Richard P. Sher Award for Excellence in Mediation and Dispute Resolution, the Dean’s Service Award, and a Certificate in Business Law.

Among other activities in law school, James was a member of the Washington University Journal of Law & Policy, the law school’s competition team for the American Bar Association’s Representation in Mediation competition, and the Student Bar Association. James also was an active volunteer mediator in the pro se eviction docket in the St. Louis City Circuit Court, successfully mediating over a dozen landlord-tenant disputes to a mutually beneficial solution avoiding trial.

James is a proud citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and is admitted to practice law in the State of Texas, the State of Missouri, and the Chickasaw Nation. 

Full Bio

Credentials

J.D., Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, cum laude

B.S. Finance, Washington University in St. Louis, with honors

Missouri

Texas

Houston Bar Association

Houston Young Lawyers Association

National Eagle Scout Association, Boy Scouts of America

National Native American Bar Association

Texas Bar College Member


The College of the State Bar of Texas, 2021-2022

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Recognition

Texas Bar College Member


The College of the State Bar of Texas, 2021-2022

Matters

Advised a NYSE-listed multinational petroleum refineries company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a NYSE-listed American bank holding company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a NYSE-listed oilfield services company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

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Matters

Advised a NYSE-listed multinational petroleum refineries company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a NYSE-listed American bank holding company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a NYSE-listed oilfield services company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a Nasdaq-listed system software and digital payments company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations.

Advised a NYSE-listed specialty petrochemicals company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Represented a closely-held private holding company with respect to its mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters.

Advised a Nasdaq-listed multinational oilfield service company with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and Exchange Act compliance obligations.

Represented a NYSE-listed energy and infrastructure company in forming a joint venture.

Represented a privately-held healthcare technology company in a convertible note financing.

Represented a private equity portfolio company in its cross-border merger involving United States, China, and Canadian jurisdictions.

Represented a NYSE-listed fitness company with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and NYSE reporting obligations in connection with obtaining a credit facility.

Represented a Nasdaq-listed technology services company in its go-private transaction with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reporting obligations.

Represented a private equity portfolio company in cross-border divestiture of its China and Middle East operations.

Advised a Nasdaq-listed multinational restaurant chain with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised an OTC-traded mining company with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and corporate governance matters.

Represented a Nasdaq-listed biotechnology company with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reporting obligations in connection with a proposed stock-exchange merger.

Represented a NYSE-listed global polymer producer in go-private transaction with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and matters under U.S. securities laws.

James' experience prior to joining King & Spalding includes the following:

Advised several NYSE and Nasdaq listed companies on annual Exchange Act reporting obligations and Securities Act compliance matters.

Represented LongueVue Capital, a Louisiana-based private equity firm, in the sale of all its ownership interests in Select Express & Logistics, a national last-mile third-party logistics broker, to AIT Worldwide Logistics, an international full-service transportation management provider.

Represented Heritage Pool Supply Group, a national network of independent distributors and platform company of SRS Distribution, in its acquisition of EMSCO Distributors and OP Aquatics, a leading family-owned wholesale distributor of pool and spa products in the Midwest.

Represented LongueVue Capital, a Louisiana-based private equity firm, in its acquisition of Wagner Logistics, an independently owned, national third-party logistics broker.

Represented FibroBiologics, a clinical stage company developing fibroblast-based therapeutic cures for chronic diseases, in securing a $100 million capital commitment from GEM Global Yield LLC SCS, a private investment group.

Represented Heritage Pool Supply Group, a national network of independent distributors and platform company of SRS Distribution, in its acquisition of Quality Pool Supply Company, a leading wholesale distributor of pool and spa products in the Midwest.

Represented LongueVue Capital, a Louisiana-based private equity firm, in its acquisition of Associated MetalCast, an independently owned, national metal castings, precision machining and assembly services provider.

Represented InMed Pharmaceuticals, a Nasdaq-listed pharmaceutical company, in its acquisition of BayMedica Inc., a private company based in the U.S. specializing in the manufacturing and commercialization of rare cannabinoids for the health and wellness sector.

Represented LongueVue Capital, a Louisiana-based private equity firm, in the sale of all its ownership interests in Zavation Medical Products, LLC, a medical device provider, to Gemspring Capital Management, a Connecticut-based private equity firm.

Represented Anghami, a U.A.E.-based music streaming platform and digital distribution company in its de-SPAC transaction with Vistas Media Acquisition Company Inc., a Nasdaq-listed, U.S.-based SPAC.

Represented ABC Fitness Solutions, a national provider of technology and related services for the fitness industry, in its acquisition of Fitness BI, a data warehouse-as-a-service provider.

Represented a major commercial bank in connection with multiple sale/leaseback transactions involving fuel cell equipment to be installed and operated at various Walmart and Home Depot facilities in the U.S.

Insights

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Matters

Advised a NYSE-listed multinational petroleum refineries company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a NYSE-listed American bank holding company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a NYSE-listed oilfield services company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

See more

Close

Matters

Advised a NYSE-listed multinational petroleum refineries company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a NYSE-listed American bank holding company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a NYSE-listed oilfield services company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised a Nasdaq-listed system software and digital payments company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations.

Advised a NYSE-listed specialty petrochemicals company with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Represented a closely-held private holding company with respect to its mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters.

Advised a Nasdaq-listed multinational oilfield service company with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and Exchange Act compliance obligations.

Represented a NYSE-listed energy and infrastructure company in forming a joint venture.

Represented a privately-held healthcare technology company in a convertible note financing.

Represented a private equity portfolio company in its cross-border merger involving United States, China, and Canadian jurisdictions.

Represented a NYSE-listed fitness company with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and NYSE reporting obligations in connection with obtaining a credit facility.

Represented a Nasdaq-listed technology services company in its go-private transaction with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reporting obligations.

Represented a private equity portfolio company in cross-border divestiture of its China and Middle East operations.

Advised a Nasdaq-listed multinational restaurant chain with respect to Exchange Act reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.

Advised an OTC-traded mining company with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and corporate governance matters.

Represented a Nasdaq-listed biotechnology company with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reporting obligations in connection with a proposed stock-exchange merger.

Represented a NYSE-listed global polymer producer in go-private transaction with respect to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and matters under U.S. securities laws.

James' experience prior to joining King & Spalding includes the following:

Advised several NYSE and Nasdaq listed companies on annual Exchange Act reporting obligations and Securities Act compliance matters.

Represented LongueVue Capital, a Louisiana-based private equity firm, in the sale of all its ownership interests in Select Express & Logistics, a national last-mile third-party logistics broker, to AIT Worldwide Logistics, an international full-service transportation management provider.

Represented Heritage Pool Supply Group, a national network of independent distributors and platform company of SRS Distribution, in its acquisition of EMSCO Distributors and OP Aquatics, a leading family-owned wholesale distributor of pool and spa products in the Midwest.

Represented LongueVue Capital, a Louisiana-based private equity firm, in its acquisition of Wagner Logistics, an independently owned, national third-party logistics broker.

Represented FibroBiologics, a clinical stage company developing fibroblast-based therapeutic cures for chronic diseases, in securing a $100 million capital commitment from GEM Global Yield LLC SCS, a private investment group.

Represented Heritage Pool Supply Group, a national network of independent distributors and platform company of SRS Distribution, in its acquisition of Quality Pool Supply Company, a leading wholesale distributor of pool and spa products in the Midwest.

Represented LongueVue Capital, a Louisiana-based private equity firm, in its acquisition of Associated MetalCast, an independently owned, national metal castings, precision machining and assembly services provider.

Represented InMed Pharmaceuticals, a Nasdaq-listed pharmaceutical company, in its acquisition of BayMedica Inc., a private company based in the U.S. specializing in the manufacturing and commercialization of rare cannabinoids for the health and wellness sector.

Represented LongueVue Capital, a Louisiana-based private equity firm, in the sale of all its ownership interests in Zavation Medical Products, LLC, a medical device provider, to Gemspring Capital Management, a Connecticut-based private equity firm.

Represented Anghami, a U.A.E.-based music streaming platform and digital distribution company in its de-SPAC transaction with Vistas Media Acquisition Company Inc., a Nasdaq-listed, U.S.-based SPAC.

Represented ABC Fitness Solutions, a national provider of technology and related services for the fitness industry, in its acquisition of Fitness BI, a data warehouse-as-a-service provider.

Represented a major commercial bank in connection with multiple sale/leaseback transactions involving fuel cell equipment to be installed and operated at various Walmart and Home Depot facilities in the U.S.

Insights

View all

Credentials

J.D., Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, cum laude

B.S. Finance, Washington University in St. Louis, with honors

Missouri

Texas

Houston Bar Association

Houston Young Lawyers Association

National Eagle Scout Association, Boy Scouts of America

National Native American Bar Association

Texas Bar College Member


The College of the State Bar of Texas, 2021-2022

Close

Recognition

Texas Bar College Member


The College of the State Bar of Texas, 2021-2022