James T. Zelloe

Selected Accomplishments and Experience

General Counsel (2014-2017) to one of top male singers worldwide and recipient of continuous stream of awards including 5 Grammy Music Awards, Latin Grammy’s, and Billboard Awards, selling over 100 million albums to date.  Involved in all aspects of legal issues of client and his organization, including, but not limited to, personal issues, touring, contract creation and review, negotiations with third parties, and Federal litigation. Drafted and negotiated “life story” contract with MGM for production and distribution of singer’s life story.

Spearheaded litigation team and obtained a jury verdict for Egyptian owned client against a Saudi Arabian Company and its President totaling in the aggregate over $13,000,000 in Federal Eastern District of Virginia involving commercial oral contracts pertaining to a project of the King of Saudi Arabia. After considerable legal rulings, the Eastern District U.S. District Court rendered final judgment against the company accordingly and facilitated the transmission and presentation to the Court of the King of Saudi Arabia where final resolution was obtained for clients.

Designated as an honorary member of the Bar of the Egyptian Supreme Court.

Over 25 years of providing legal and economic representation and solutions to an international business consortium and developer/development company headquartered over the years in Washington, DC area; Aspen, Colorado; Mexico; and Beverly Hills, CA. In 2010, achieved the highest residential real estate sales price in the United States. Spending over a decade coordinating acquisition, assemblage, and after years of legal maneuvering, the undertaking culminated in successful litigation as rendered by the Supreme Court of California resulting in complete unimpeded ownership for client of the largest aggregation of continuous parcels of unencumbered, undeveloped residential land with views of downtown Los Angeles and the ocean to the West in Beverly Hills, CA. 

Counsel for an entity involved in the acquisition of a strategic “partner” in the military supply-chain world. Appointed by entity as CEO and general counsel of its operations in 2017.

Creator and Coordinator of legal and economic solutions for builder/developer in Washington Metropolitan area utilizing the federal and state legal systems to buttress its lenders actions of confessing multi-million dollar judgments against the company and its principles. Successfully obtained court rulings vacating confessed judgments and enabled clients to embark on a convoluted course of action in restoring its business operations.

Counsel for various multi-national entities U.S. and foreign based - involved in a plethora of business transactions throughout the world - United States, Europe, East Asia, India, Middle East and Africa - involving commercial and residential developments, airline, petroleum products, commodities, food stuffs, processing and distribution lines, power plants, etc. From single purpose representation to continual, long-term relationship - providing legal support coupled with economic analysis for the projects, principles and entities, dealing with the various players and governmental regulatory agencies, to providing insight and guidance in obtaining the desired results.

Counsel for individual businessman who was victim of million+ verdict against himself and his business entities. Provided aggressive post-verdict representation for all depositions and other collection activities while orchestrating a course of action that led to complete preservation of judgment debtor's assets and businesses while simultaneously co-litigating a successful appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia

Substantial experience in real estate, business and commercial law having handled wide range of transactions, including acquisitions, apartment to condominium conversions, land assemblage and development, private placements, real property leases and personal property leasing, credit lines, secured transactions ($60,000,000+), purchasing/selling assets, contract negotiations, drafting commercial paper, private stock transactions, franchises, sale/purchase of restaurants, Alcoholic Beverage licenses, special use permits, zoning issues, governmental regulatory agencies, corporate, LLC and LLP formations.

General counsel for two lending and joint-venture companies involved in a myriad of commercial transactions and investments and provided capital for all types of ventures and transactions from private placements to secured/unsecured financing.

Member of Board of Advisors of Virginia Commerce Bank (now merged into United Bank), which was one of the largest community banks in Virginia with over 20 branches prior to its merger.

In a case that was on the front page of Lawyer's Weekly as most requested case for five weeks, utilized brand new Virginia Supreme Court decision in obtaining an Injunction against a client's former employees who set out to set up similar company and engage in direct competition.

Spearheaded and coordinated successful civil litigation for major client against former business partner over the biggest collection of Ritz Carlton's in U.S. Litigation erupted in Federal Bankruptcy Court in San Francisco, Federal and State Courts in Denver, and State Court in Arlington, VA.

As general counsel to major real estate development company, directed legal staff and coordinated legal work with outside counsel. Developed and implemented strategies for $2 billion debt retirement during 1988-1991 real estate downturn. Managed and conducted negotiations with major creditors/lending institutions and was responsible for all civil litigation.

As an officer and director of a publicly traded company doing business in Bulgaria and Switzerland, managed civil litigation and related filings, brought the company into compliance with SEC, and cleaned up insider corruption.

As general counsel to a real estate settlement and escrow company, handled secured transactions for major real estate lenders in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, including GE Capital, MBNA, NationsBank, First Union, and Merrill Lynch.