Lawyer Bio : James L. Rogers, Jr.

James L. (Jay) Rogers, Jr. is a 1983 graduate of the University of Virginia and a 1987 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he was Managing Editor of the South Carolina Law Review. Jay's legal practice includes advising U.S. and foreign companies with respect to: (a) mergers and acquisitions; (b) corporate and capital structures; (c) dispute resolution, including cross-border arbitration, litigation and mediation; (d) commercial relationships with vendors, customers and lenders; (e) U.S. and foreign Customs matters; (f) immigration issues and (g) economic development incentives offered by local, state and national governments. Jay has represented clients across a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, gaming, business services and information technology.

Jay’s legal career has included a stint in 1999 working as a Foreign Legal Consultant for the law firms of Jauregui Navarrete y Nader in Mexico City and Tozzini Freire Teixeira e Silva in São Paulo, Brazil. He is fluent in both Spanish and Portuguese and has handled transactions (including the set-up of business entities, joint ventures and contractual trade relationships, along with associated cross-border tax planning) in over a dozen foreign jurisdictions. These jurisdictions include Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Paraguay, Honduras and the Bahamas, among others. Jay has also represented foreign investors from Brazil, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany in setting up operations in the United States.

Jay has handled a variety of U.S. customs-related matters, including resolving disputes with customs enforcement officials, formation of Customs Bonded Warehouses and the administration of Foreign Trade Zones. He also works in the area of U.S. export controls, including compliance with Export Administration Regulations and the rules of the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Since 2006 Jay has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Greenville Area Development Corporation, the economic development vehicle of the County of Greenville, South Carolina and was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve a three year term to the South Carolina District Export Council (2010 – 2012). In addition to being a U.S. citizen, Jay is also a Brazilian "Permanent Resident" (or "Greencard" holder) and has been listed in "Best Lawyers International" in Finance and Trade in the Latin American Region.