James Erlinger is the leader of the firm’s Outsourcing Practice and the former Client Service Group leader for the Technology, Entrepreneurial and Commercial Practice Client Service Group. He concentrates his practice in general corporate matters, outsourcing, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, finance and related matters, with a particular emphasis on the representation of closely held businesses and technology-related transactions. Mr. Erlinger has represented clients in a wide range of industries, including professional services, manufacturing, information technology, retail consumer products, life sciences, construction, banking and natural resources. He has advised clients on structuring investments and transactions in Asia, the UK, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the EU, South America, Eastern Europe and Canada. Mr. Erlinger is also a certified public accountant and has served as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Select Representations

• A leading provider of outsourcing services in a landmark nine-figure infrastructure, application, and business process outsourcing transaction with an international payment processing financial services firm. Outsourced services are to be provided on five continents and the transaction presented novel issues regarding data security.
• Representation of an international toy manufacturer with respect to infrastructure and application off-shore outsourcing.
• A leading wireless communications company in the outsourcing of multi-vendor on-shore and near-shore collection services with total contract values in excess of $300 million.
• A major cable operation in the outsourcing of billing and customer care services.
• A leading provider of business process outsourcing services in a transaction to provide strategic receivables management, including engagements to provide outsourced call center and collection services for AT&T.
• A global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company in providing software development and business operation services to a national insurance company.
• Brown Shoe Company, Novus International and Express Scripts regarding ERP licensing and system implementation.
• Maritz Travel in a strategic alliance with American Express related to strategic meeting services.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in strategic alliances or joint ventures with Oracle, SAP, SunMicroSystems, Information Engineering, Data Clearinghouse, Smart Patents, DACOM International and TriStrata Security.
• A national telecommunication company in the near-shore and off-shore outsourcing of billing and collection functions.
• Ernst & Young in the sale of its training subsidiary and outsourcing of key components of its training function.
• An international joint venture as the provider of outsourced information technology services to a large Korean telecommunication company.
• Primary counsel to Build-A-Bear Workshop from early equity financing through its IPO.
• Monsanto in its strategic alliances with Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Hoechst Schering AgrEvo GmBh, Arqule, Inc., GrowTech, Inc., Scriptgen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Stine Seed Farm, Inc.
• Each of the Big Four accounting firms in the creation of a global data base utilized  for compliance functions.
• A Big Four accounting firm in the creation of an Indian services entity and the negotiation of services agreements related to front office and back officer operations with numerous if its member firms.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in acquisitions in Russia, France, South Korea, Canada, Hong Kong, South America, Vietnam and the United States.
• Anheuser-Busch in connection with contract manufacturing of bottles.
• Hycel Properties in connection with the financing and development of the Saint Louis Galleria shopping center.
• Whitmire Research Laboratories in connection with its leveraged ESOP buyout and subsequent sale to S.C. Johnson & Sons.
• Kiel Center Partners, L.P., in connection with its formation, acquisition, financing and development of the Kiel Center  arena and the St. Louis Blues.
• James Orthwein in the sale of the New England Patriots.

Bar and Court Admissions

Missouri, 1985

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

Education

University of Missouri-Kansas City, J.D., with distinction, 1985

University of Missouri-Columbia, M.B.A., 1983

University of Missouri-Columbia, B.S.B.A., with honors, 1981