James M. Saxton represents real estate developers, owners, property managers, tenants, financial institutions and investors involved in commercial and retail development projects in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas. He assists clients with all types of transactions from routine purchase agreements to complicated development plans, companies locating new facilities in the state, multi-state sales, acquisition and financing construction. This area of practice includes acquisition, disposition, leasing and operation of real property, debt and equity financing, partnerships, joint ventures and other investment vehicles and land use, brokerage and management agreements.

Jim has extensive experience representing a variety of business entities in like-kind 1031 exchange transactions, and formation of equity real estate investment entities. A substantial portion of his practice involves representing clients with respect to all types of state and local taxes, including sales and use, and renewable energy projects (solar) both for land owners, and developers and lenders, income taxes, property taxes and assessment challenges and economic inducements.

In recognition of the esteem his peers have for him, he is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for real estate law. He is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Real Estate Law, and is ranked in the first band. That publication esteemed for its intense research on listed firms and lawyers said, 

“… James Saxton handles complex matters promptly and efficiently. He predominantly advises real estate developers on retail and commercial transactions.”

• Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M. in Taxation, 1978
• University of Arkansas School of Law, J.D., 1977
  • Associate Editor, Law Review
• University of Alabama, B.S.C.B.A, 1972

• Frequent lecturer since 1985 concerning Sales and Use Taxes
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, since 2000
  • Named "Lawyer of the Year," Real Estate Law, Little Rock, 2015
  • Named "Lawyer of the Year," Economic Development Law, Little Rock, 2023
• Ranked in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Real Estate
• Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
• Selected to the Mid-South Super Lawyers List, since 2006
  • Top 50: Arkansas Super Lawyers

• Advising solar developers and land owners for projects totaling in excess of 1GW.
• Assisting a Canadian company in the acquisitions, and state and local incentives for an $80 million lumber mill project
• Assisting a Japanese auto components manufacturer in locating a facility in Arkansas
• Assisting a produce processor with location of its plant in Arkansas and with obtaining its financing through Arkansas state agencies
• Representation of Murphy Oil USA, Inc. in its real estate acquisition in excess of $200,000,000.00 of multiple and single sites in 10 states from a large retailer
• Representation of Arkansas Development Finance Authority (“ADFA”) with its secondary financing of the construction of Big River Steel $1,000,000,000.00 flat-rolled steel mini mill and formulated solution to allow ADFA to obtain title insurance coverage for mechanic/materialmen liens

• Arkansas Development Finance Authority
• Dillard’s/CDI Contractors
• Entergy
• Goldcrest Farm Trust
• Irwin Partners
• Murphy Oil USA, Inc.
• Regions Bank
• The Danny Thomas Company
• Union County Lumber Company/Conifex Timber, Inc. 

• American Bar Association, Probate & Real Estate Section
• Arkansas Bar Association, Taxation and Real Estate Section
• National Association of Property Tax Attorneys, member
• Phi Gamma Delta
• Pulaski County Bar Association

• Arkansas, 1977
• United States Tax Court