Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Corporate Transactions

Partner - Corporate and Finance Transactions

With over 30 years of experience advising on corporate law, John's practice focuses on leading middle-market mergers and acquisitions for individuals and corporate clients buying and selling businesses in the U.S. and across the world. He also advises his clients on a broad range of business law matters including corporation and limited liability company structure and formation, corporate reorganizations and restructurings, venture capital and private equity investments, leveraged buy-outs, private stock offerings, joint ventures, commercial agreements, and statutory matters under Missouri and Delaware corporate law. To obtain the best business, financial, and legal outcome for his clients, John also leverages his prior experience as a CPA with Big 4 and national accounting firms.

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT & HONORS Missouri Lawyers POWER List in top Missouri Merger & Acquisition Attorneys Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A, 2023 The Best Lawyers in America®, 2018-2020 The Legal 500 United States 2017-2018: M&A: middle-market (SUB-$500M)

John has led deal teams on significant, multimillion-dollar transactions for several global clients, including Emerson Electric, Bayer, Energizer, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Schnitzer Steel, AstenJohnson and Watlow Electric. His extensive experience in leading all aspects of cross-border transactions includes the structuring, negotiation, due diligence and document preparation and review for transactions in England, Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Romania, China, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and India. His clients span a broad range of industries including industrial manufacturing, food manufacturing, auto recycling, telecommunications, high fashion retail, community banking, and healthcare.

A trusted business advisor, John develops long-term relationships with his clients by gaining a deep understanding of their businesses and their concerns, and taking a pragmatic business and client service-oriented approach to solving their legal issues. Many of his clients have turned to John as their go-to counsel for decades.

Outside of his legal practice, John has served as the board treasurer and board member of Operation Food Search, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in St. Louis that operates a food bank to nourish and educate those in need.

Prior to joining the firm in 1994, John was an associate with an international law firm in Houston, Texas.

A trusted business advisor, John develops long-term relationships with his clients by gaining a deep understanding of their businesses and their concerns, and taking a pragmatic business and client service-oriented approach to solving their legal issues. Many of his clients have turned to John as their go-to counsel for decades.

Outside of his legal practice, John has served as the board treasurer and board member of Operation Food Search, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in St. Louis that operates a food bank to nourish and educate those in need.

Prior to joining the firm in 1994, John was an associate with an international law firm in Houston, Texas.