Joel C. Johnson
Any lawyer can recite the law. A good lawyer distills the law into a plan of action.
Contact: P /612.604.6694E /[email protected]
Administrative Contact: Theresa Carpenter P /612.604.6419E /[email protected]
Education
University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 2005
- Managing Editor, Journal of Law, Science and Technology
Gustavus Adolphus College, B.A., Communication Studies, magna cum laude, 2002
Bar Admissions
Minnesota, 2005
My Approach
As legal advisor and business partner, I work closely with clients to make sure I understand their mission and objectives as I help them accomplish their goals.
Before joining Winthrop, I was an attorney in the legal department of an international Fortune 10 company. One of the most rewarding aspects of the job was being witness to the myriad challenges that business face every day and being able to play an instrumental role in solving them. Standing in the trenches with the business allowed me to understand how to partner with business leaders. It also gave me a direct line of sight to see how legal advice gets implemented. It is through this knowledge and experience that I have developed a practical approach to law—putting clients and their goals first.
Outside of work, I spend most of my time with my family. I enjoy triathlons, downhill skiing and woodworking.
Practice Areas
Practicing Mergers & Acquisitions
My Experience
I represent companies, entrepreneurs, and investors in all stages of an enterprise’s life, including formation, public and private capital raising, acquisitions, and sales and divestitures. In addition, I represent businesses with complex strategic relationships, joint ventures, business process outsourcing, corporate reorganizations and other mission-critical projects. I also advise public and private companies on corporate governance, fiduciary duties and compliance matters.
My clients have included public and private companies in a broad range of industries including restaurants, manufacturing, health care, technology, renewable energy, medical devices, financial services and retail.
Representative Matters
- Represented health care company in its acquisition of senior care and other provider organizations.
- Represented multinational company in its carve out divestiture of a complex contact center business.
- Represented public ethanol company in its $68.8 million acquisition of operating ethanol plants.
- Represented Canadian corporation in $87 million acquisition of assets based in the U.S.
- Represented a U.S. software company in its $15 million acquisition of a U.K.-based digital rights management company.
- Represented expense management company in the $165 million sale of equity interests.
Financing
- Represented medical device company in $30 million bridge financing and private placement of equity securities.
- Represented hedge fund in $7 million subordinated debt financing secured by assets in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and France.
- Represented renewable energy company in $130 million senior and subordinated debt refinancing.
- Represented Native American tribe in issuance of $320 million of senior notes for the construction of a casino near Seattle, Washington.
Other Matters
- Represented national exchange in the creation of a new futures and options market.
- Represented private companies in hostile member and shareholder buyouts.
- Represented multinational corporation in negotiation, drafting, and implementation of critical application services and business process outsourcing agreements.
Practicing Securities & Corporate Finance
My Experience
I have represented nascent and established public companies in a wide range of matters, including preparing periodic and annual reports, proxy statements, offering memoranda and prospectuses, and advising boards of directors on all aspects of corporate governance, including fiduciary duties, legal compliance, and standards of conduct. In addition, I have represented public companies with public debt and equity raising.
Representative Matters
- Represented national financial services company in an underwritten public offering of $200 million of senior notes, including registration of securities on the New York Stock Exchange.
- Represented national financial services company in an underwritten public offering of $300 million of senior notes.
- Represented company in shelf registration of common stock, preferred stock, and senior and subordinated debt securities.
- Represented company in an underwritten public offering of an aggregate of $800 million of notes.
- Represented company in an underwritten public offering of $200 million of common stock.