Clifford Chance
James McPhillips advises clients in a variety of industries on complex technology and commercial transactions, with a particular focus on strategic outsourcing, digital transformation projects and cloud services transactions. James’ most recent experience includes counseling clients on the legal implications of developing, purchasing, deploying, and using artificial intelligence systems and tools.
James is a core practitioner in the firm's Complex Commercial Transactions & Outsourcing team and is consistently recognized by Chambers USA in the area of Technology & Outsourcing with a specific focus on cloud computing and artificial intelligence. He also has extensive experience advising clients on strategic information technology outsourcing (ITO) and business process outsourcing (BPO) transactions; software-as-a-service (SaaS) agreements; core systems implementations; software licensing and development arrangements; and other related corporate and commercial transactions.
- Led a team that advised a large U.S.-based financial institution on the strategy to build and operate a captive offshore outsourcing services center.
- Appointed by a global financial institution to support the strategy and contracting for its business that provides asset servicing for wealth and institutional investment clients.
- Led a team that advised a global financial institution in structuring a global framework agreement with a third-party supplier to provide a wide range of IT and business process outsourcing services in over a dozen countries.
- Advised one of the largest financial services companies in the United States on the procurement of, and transition to, a new mission critical business process platform.
- Advised multiple financial services companies in the strategic procurement and deployment of cloud-based artificial intelligence systems and tools from several of the world’s leading generative artificial intelligence technology companies.
- Led the multi-disciplinary legal and consulting team that advised an American multinational financial services corporation in building the next generation of cloud-enabled infrastructure for the world’s capital markets. This transaction was shortlisted by the Financial Times in the “Innovation in Market Firsts” category at the 2022 FT Innovative Lawyers North America awards. This experience occurred before James joined Clifford Chance.
News and client work
Contact details
Career and qualifications
- Harvard College (AB, cum laude) 2004
- University of Georgia School of Law (JD, cum laude) 2009
- Admitted as Attorney-at-Law in District of Columbia (2010), New York (2022), Virginia (2009)
- Joined Clifford Chance as Partner 2023
Awards and citations
- Recognized by Chambers USA in Technology & Outsourcing (2017-2023)
- Named a “Next Generation Lawyer” for Outsourcing
The Legal 500 U.S. (2018-2019)