James Cretella

James Cretella, Esq., is a partner at Blank Rome, a full-service national law firm with offices across the United States. With over 21 years of legal experience, he began his career after graduating cum laude from Brooklyn Law School in 2004. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Villanova University in 2001.

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Legal Expertise

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James advises a wide range of financial institutions, including banks, private lenders, commercial finance companies, and factors. His legal practice focuses on negotiating, structuring, and documenting secured finance transactions. He provides counsel to lenders of all sizes and helps navigate each stage of the transaction process.

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He represents both lenders and borrowers in a variety of complex transactions. His work includes asset-based and cash flow facilities, hybrid structures, and receivables finance transactions, including notification, non-notification, actual sale, and participation models. He also handles lender finance matters on both sides, recurring revenue credit lines for SaaS and subscription-based businesses, supply chain finance, channel finance, purchase order finance, and Article 9 foreclosure sales.

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He routinely advises on workouts, warehouse lines, intercreditor arrangements, and transactions involving unique borrower profiles. His ability to close deals on schedule and structure creative solutions has supported clients across diverse industries, including staffing, technology, healthcare, FinTech, transportation, real estate, energy, and government contracting.

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James is experienced in serving middle- and upper-middle-market clients in traditional asset-backed lending, large factoring transactions, inventory finance, and other trade finance solutions. These include off-balance sheet receivable purchase programs and purchase order financing.

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In addition, he serves as outside legal counsel to smaller private lenders. He handles front-end documentation for smaller factoring, asset-based lending, and recurring revenue transactions and provides legal guidance on related matters. He also represents these lenders as borrowers in credit arrangements and supports them through portfolio acquisitions and sales.

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Named as One of SFNet’s 40 Under 40

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Jim Cretella is active in the Secured Finance Network (SFNet), an organization serving professionals in secured lending and commercial finance. In 2016, he was selected as one of SFNet’s 40 Under 40, an award recognizing high-performing professionals making a mark in the industry.

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A Recognized Voice in the Commercial Finance Industry

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In October 2025, he moderated a panel discussion at a firm-hosted session titled “Navigating Lender Finance,” held in Dallas, Texas. The panel featured professionals from across the financial and legal sectors who shared insights on structuring, underwriting, risk management, M&A activity, and the evolving private credit market.

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James is also involved with the International Factoring Association, a global group of receivables finance professionals that includes bank-owned factors and independent firms. He is scheduled to attend the association’s annual conference from May 6–8, 2026, where he will co-present the Factoring Essentials class.

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He has contributed to professional publications as a co-author. His column “What Would You Do” appeared in The Secured Lender, exploring common challenges in asset-based lending, factoring, and supply chain finance. He also co-authored two articles published in Financier Worldwide Magazine titled “Friendly Foreclosures: Free and Clear or Clearly Full of Successor Liability?” and “To the Abyss and Back: The Evolution of Exit Financing From the Credit Crisis Through Today.”

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He is dedicated to mentoring junior associates and regularly shares his knowledge to support their professional development.

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Committed to Helping Communities

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James formerly served on the board of directors of a school in Bridgeport, Connecticut, serving students from PreK3 through 8th grade. The school was founded in memory of an individual who died in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11.

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He contributes regularly to charitable causes, including his church and various educational organizations.

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On the Personal Side

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He will celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary in 2026. During his time off, he enjoys watching baseball and football.

James Cretella remains committed to his legal practice, his clients, and the broader finance and legal communities through his ongoing work, writing, and mentorship.