Otterbourg Promotes James Cretella to Chairman of The Finance Department

Otterbourg P.C. announced today that James Cretella has been named Chairman of the Firm’s Finance Department.

A career member of Otterbourg’s Finance Department, Mr. Cretella represents institutional lenders, factoring companies and specialty lenders, as well as borrowers, in a variety of asset-based lending, specialty finance and other corporate transactions. In 2021, he was named Chair of the Alternative and Specialty Finance practice group.

“Jim’s exceptional insights and practical advice on complex financial transactions has made him a go-to lawyer, trusted by an expanding range of investor clients,” said Chairman of Otterbourg’s Board of Directors, Richard Stehl. “Jim’s elevation to this key leadership position is part of Otterbourg’s long-term succession planning to prepare the next generation of Otterbourg’s dynamic attorneys for the continued successful management of the firm.”

Mr. Cretella began his legal career at Otterbourg in 2004 and risen steadily through the ranks, advising on transactions involving industries as varied as staffing, technology, transportation, oil and gas, lender finance and government contracting. He additionally acts as “outside in-house counsel” to several specialty lenders.

Mr. Cretella is a co-author of the popular “What Would You Do” column appearing in The Secured Lender He received his J.D., from Brooklyn Law School in 2004 and a B.S. from Villanova University in 2001.

Otterbourg’s finance practice’s clients include major international banks, regional banks, asset-based lenders, finance companies, insurance companies, business development companies, factors, hedge funds, private equity and specialty lenders. The firm is actively engaged in a range of lending transactions, both in size and nature. The firm’s expertise includes secured and unsecured financings, whether first lien or second lien, senior or subordinated, single lender, unitranche or widely syndicated.  It also is active in trade finance, receivables purchases and structured finance. The firm has also developed expertise in structuring and documenting secured cross-border credit facilities.