E. James Cowen

James Cowen is a corporate attorney who advises public and private companies, boards of directors, special committees, and individual clients on complex business matters. He focuses on corporate, securities, and finance transactions, while also serving in a leadership role overseeing administrative affairs. His work spans capital markets deals, mergers, restructurings, and strategic business planning across multiple industries.

James earned a B.S., University of Texas at Austin in 1990. He later received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1997. During law school, he served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Karen K. Brown, Justice, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Before entering the legal field, he worked as an aerospace engineer and software developer for a NASA subcontractor and later consulted for an oilfield services company.

James concentrates on public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, including IPOs, high-yield offerings under Rule 144A, rights offerings, debt exchange offers, and shelf registrations. He also advises on securities compliance, executive compensation, and corporate governance. His experience includes forming joint ventures, structuring private placements, and guiding venture capital financings for growing companies.

James regularly represents clients in mergers and acquisitions involving significant assets and operations. His work includes refinery acquisitions, energy asset purchases, large joint ventures, roll-up transactions, and cross-industry strategic deals. He has also advised on shareholder rights agreements and ongoing SEC reporting obligations. His industry experience covers energy, technology, healthcare, infrastructure, construction, and manufacturing.

James Cowen has been recognized by Chambers USA as a Leading Lawyer in Corporate/M&A and by The Legal 500 Houston Elite for Corporate and M&A. He is also listed in Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law. He remains active in the State Bar of Texas, American Bar Association, Texas Bar Foundation, and Houston Bar Association, contributing to the advancement of business law practice.

Law Office Affiliations

• Co-Managing Partner, Porter Hedges LLP
• Member, State Bar of Texas, Business Law and Corporate Counsel Sections
• Member, American Bar Association, Business Law Section
• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Chair, Houston Bar Association, Mergers and Acquisitions Section (2013-2014)

Licensed State

• Texas

Education

• University of Houston Law Center
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Texas at Austin
  Bachelor of Science (BS)

Awards & Badges