Kutak Rock is pleased to announce that James Jeffries has returned to the firm’s Springfield office in the Intellectual Property and Corporate practice group. James previously served as a partner at the firm before spending several years as general counsel at firm client Kuat Innovations.

James brings extensive experience in intellectual property and corporate law, including trademark, patent and general corporate matters. He also advises clients on customs and international trade issues, helping businesses develop supply chain strategies to mitigate tariff exposure, structure vendor relationships to manage currency and other business risks, and leverage U.S. tariff programs to optimize supply chain structure.

“We are excited to welcome James back to Kutak Rock,” said Larry Fields, regional managing partner for the firm’s Springfield office. “His deep understanding of tariffs and international trade is particularly critical in today’s shifting political and economic landscape. Businesses are facing unprecedented challenges with evolving trade regulations, and James’ ability to guide them through all of these issues will be an invaluable asset to our clients.”

In his practice, James has assisted clients in obtaining U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Harmonized Tariff Schedule rulings and country-of-origin determinations. He has also worked with clients on duty drawback programs, anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations, international transaction documentation and responses to CBP information requests. With ongoing changes in trade regulations, including potential statutory revisions such as the reciprocal trade act proposals, James’ insight into the evolving landscape will provide valuable guidance to clients navigating these complexities.

James earned his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law where he graduated magna cum laude. He also holds a B.S. in physics from Missouri State University where he graduated summa cum laude.