James F. Modzelewski joined Saul Ewing’s Philadelphia office as special counsel in the Energy, Business & Finance and Private Equity & Venture Capital practices.

Modzelewski represents public and private companies in sophisticated mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and other corporate transactions. He is sensitive to the needs of in-house counsel in these deals because he served in this role himself.

Prior to joining Saul Ewing, Modzelewski was vice president and assistant general counsel for Penn Virginia, a NYSE-listed independent oil and gas company. While there, he had significant hands-on experience handling oil and gas and pipeline acquisitions, divestitures, financings and joint ventures.

“Jim has a holistic understanding of the challenges that businesses face and a talent for helping them understand their legal risks and manage them, particularly in the energy industry” said Deborah L. Spranger, chair of Saul Ewing’s Business and Finance Practice. “Beyond the complex transactions he handled for Penn Virginia, he also walked the company through commercial contracts, responded to regulatory inquires and advised on issues arising from litigation, bankruptcy and collection and insurance issues.”

Before Modzelewski was in-house counsel he worked in private practice advising public and private companies and private equity and leveraged buyout firms regarding mergers and acquisitions and securities matters and counseled venture-backed and emerging companies.