Kurt James

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Kurt A. James

CO-FOUNDING PARTNER
Practice Areas
Real Estate Development and Financing; Affordable Housing; Community Development; Charter School Finance and Development; Tax Credit and Tax Exempt Bond Financing; Public Housing Authority Governance and Development; Non-­Profit Corporations.
Bar Admission: Massachusetts, 1985
Practice Focus
Kurt concentrates his practice in the area of real estate development and finance, with a special emphasis on structuring complex, affordable, housing and community development projects utilizing tax exempt financing and tax credits. His clients include banks, insurance companies, public and quasi­-public lenders, and for profit and non­-profit developers, charter schools, and public housing authorities.
Background
Mr. James co­founded KJP Partners LLP with Julie Peabody in 2016. Previously, Mr. James practiced as a Director and Chairman of the Affordable Housing and Community Development Practice Group at Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster, P.C., as a partner at Sherin and Lodgen LLP, and as an associate at Choate, Hall & Stewart in Boston.

Mr. James graduated from Haverford College with a BA in Economics, studied at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and received his juris doctor from Boston University School of Law.

Professional Affiliations
●  Real Estate Bar Association (Board Member; Founding Co­-Chair, Affordable Housing Committee, 2005­-2023)

●  Boston Bar Association (Steering Committee; Founding Co­-Chair, Affordable Housing Committee of Real Estate Section, 1999­-2004)

●  American Bar Association (Member, Forum on Affordable Housing)

Board and Community Service Activities
●  Governor’s Appointee/Chair, Marblehead Housing Authority (2013-2017)

●  Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency Multifamily Advisory Board (Member) (2011-2016)

●  Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) Preservation Regulations Advisory Committee (Member)

●  Town of Marblehead Affordable Housing Trust (Founding Member)

●  Town of Marblehead Smart Growth Advisory Committee (Founding Member)

●  Town of Marblehead Planning Board (Member 2003­-2013)

●  Town of Marblehead Fair Housing Committee (Member)

●  Lawyers Clearinghouse (Board Member; President 2008-­2009)

●  Harborlight Community Partners, Inc. (Board Member; Vice President; Executive Committee)

●  Marblehead Community Housing Corporation (Board Member; Vice President)

●  Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development (Advisory Committee) (2001-2020)

●  Sustainable Marblehead (Board Member, President)

Publications & Lectures
Mr. James is a frequent moderator and panelist at affordable housing and non­-profit collaboration seminars and has published various affordable housing articles and assisted in several amicus briefs relating to affordable housing legal disputes.
Honors and Awards
●  Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2010­-present)

●  Martindale Hubbard Rated AV 5.0/5.0

●  AVVO rated 9.9/10

●  National Law Journal’s Top Rated Lawyers in New England

●  Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers in Massachusetts

Kurt is admitted to practice in Massachusetts. He currently resides in Marblehead.