James H. Mann

James Mann's practice focuses on the representation of payment card issuers and processors and other parties in negotiating agreements for cobrand, private-label and agent bank card programs, as well as agreements for related credit facilities; payment card processing; portfolio and corporate M&A; rewards coalitions and programs; and network strategic alliances and pricing, with a special emphasis on mobile banking and other emerging technologies. He also advises issuers and processors on issues arising under federal consumer compliance statutes and regulations as well as network rules. In addition, James advises retailers on their loyalty programs.

Practice Highlights

• Program Agreements: Many agreements between issuers and airlines, soft goods chains, discount chains, pharmacy chains, lodging chains, online retailers and communities, 529s, oil companies, consumer electronics chains, home-improvement chains, investment banks, closed-circuit TV networks, and others, both in the U.S. and abroad. James has also advised on many bids for such programs. A particular recent focus has been on secured-lending, workout and bankruptcy-related issues in the context of these bids and agreements.
• Processing Agreements: Many agreements with oil companies, film studios, hospital chains, online retailers, soft goods chains, consumer electronics chains and others.
• M&A Agreements: Many agreements for the purchase or sale of card portfolios and related assets, including several in excess of $1.5 billion; establishment and mergers of acquiring/processing alliances; sales of processing subsidiaries and other transactions.
• Rewards Agreements: Agreements to establish rewards coalitions, manage retailer relationships and redemption procedures, source rewards, establish jointly-owned rewards websites and related matters.
• Network Agreements: Agreements for issuers to join networks (including previously closed-loop networks and mobile banking networks), strategic alliances between networks, many network pricing agreements, negotiated rules amendments and related transactions.
• Regulatory Advice: On TILA, RESPA, HMDA, FCRA, GLBA privacy, and the related regulations as well as the rules of Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Star, Pulse, ACCEL/Exchange, and many debit and other networks.
• Loyalty Programs: Of oil companies, restaurant chains, food-service chains and other retailers.