Richard James – Conroe Estate Planning Attorney

Richard James |

James Law Firm, P.L.L.C.

(936) 439-4588

https://rcjlawfirm.com/

2040 N. Loop 336 W
Conroe, TX 77304

Richard James | James Law Firm, P.L.L.C.

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Firm Summary

Richard James was raised in Corinth, Mississippi in a family of four. He attended The University of Mississippi, where he received a Bachelor of Accountancy (1999) and a Master of Taxation (2000). While at Ole Miss, he received a Taylor Medal, the top honor given to each of the university’s school’s top students, and he passed the Mississippi Certified Public Accountancy Exam with the second highest score in the state, among all first-time test takers. In 2003, Mr. James received his J.D. from Tulane Law School where he served on The Tulane Law Review. In 2004, he received an LL.M. in Tax Law from The University of Florida, one of the top tax law programs in the country, where he served on The Florida Tax Review.
Mr. James has served as a general counsel of a chemical company and a construction company, where he obtained valuable day-to-day business and legal experiences with contracts for the acquisition of business, industrial leases, contracts for the sales of goods, general business matters, and with commercial litigation. He also received valuable experience with working with businesses on a daily basis, including management, human resources, and accounting.

Mr. James has a real estate salesperson license in Texas (license number 722593), under sponsoring broker Texas United Realty (www.texasunitedrealty.com). He takes his experience with the acquisition and lease of commercial and industrial properties a step further by helping clients locate, negotiate, and acquire (or lease) commercial and industrial properties. Just like a business owner can obtain business, tax, and estate planning advice from Mr. James, a client looking for commercial or investment property can look to one person as a real estate agent and real estate attorney to acquire a commercial property!

Mr. James is the founder of Straight Path Diligence, LLC, a firm that helps clients achieve the goal and dream of owning a business or commercial real estate for development.  The commercial real estate division of Straight Path, with business partner Clayton Benedict, develops commercial real estate for clients as a fee developer.  With this service, Mr. James can locate commercial real estate, acquire it, act as the lawyer and agent for the transaction, and, through Straight Path, develop it into a profitable project.

Mr. James’ practice focuses on business and real estate law, tax, and estate planning/probate. These three matters go hand-in-hand, and Mr. James believes that a business owner or investor should be able to look to one advisor in these crucial areas, so that one firm can consider a client’s whole picture. He advises businesses on general corporate matters, commercial transactions, and business acquisitions and sales, and he advises families with respect to property law, probate, and estate planning.

He lives with his wife Molly and two boys. They also have two adult children, a granddaughter, and grandson.  In his spare time, Mr. James enjoys spending time with his family, following college football, reading, and grilling.

Education

  • The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
    • LL.M. Tax Law 2004
  • Tulane Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana
    • J.D. – 2003
  • The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
    • Master of Taxation, 2000
    • Bachelor of Accountancy, 1999

Bar Admissions

  • Texas, 2003
  • Florida, 2004

Representative Cases

  • Represented majority shareholders in sale of glass manufacturing business in North Houston for $7 million
  • Represented local company in the sale of stock for $2.3M
  • Represented investor family in acquisition of assisted living facility for $2.3 million
  • Represented investor family in acquisition of a hotel business franchise with a major franchise flag
  • Represented entrepreneur business owner in acquisition of unique plantation asset for $12 million
  • Represented high net worth individuals in transfer tax planning, including drafting and implementing grantor retained annuity trusts
  • Represent various ancillary health care businesses with establishing companies for the operation of lab and clinic businesses, with the acquisition of a medical device company, and with private offerings
  • Represented business in purchase of hydraulic business with real estate for $3M
  • Represented executor in complex estate administration with multigenerational GST trusts and partnership interests with real estate
  • Represented business owner in buy-sell agreement for local self-storage business and development of new self-storage business
  • Represent business in the acquisition of office building for self-occupy and lease-out
  • Represented professionals in asset protection planning and acquisition of rental properties

Past Positions

  • RB Products, Inc., General Counsel, 2008 to 2012
  • Stone & Associates, LLP, Associate, 2006 to 2008