John Lawrence practices in the areas of corporate, private equity, insurance and health law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate securities and venture capital financings, and joint ventures. John has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions of both public and private companies, recapitalization transactions and corporate divestitures. He is a former Lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve.
- AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
- Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers: Corporate M&A; 2008-2011
- Listed as a Connecticut Super Lawyer®: Business/Corporate; 2007-2012
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®: Corporate Law, Health Care Law; 2006-2012
- Connecticut Bar Foundation, Fellow
- University of Connecticut School of Law: Lecturer-at-Law, Business Planning
- American Bar Association: Section of Business Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Committee, Committee on Private Equity and Venture Capital
- Connecticut Bar Association: Business Law Section, Vice Chair, Executive Committee
- Hartford County Bar Association
- American Health Lawyers Association
- Greater Hartford Legal Aid, Inc.: Former President
- Greater Hartford Legal Aid Foundation, Inc.: Board of Directors
- World Affairs Council of Connecticut, Inc.: Board of Directors, Executive Committee
- Greater Hartford Arts Council: Board of Directors
- Hartford Hospital: Board of Corporators
- The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, Board of Overseers
- The Hartford Club: Former President, Member of the Board of Governors
Mezzanine Fund
Representation of a nationally recognized fund manager in the offering of over $1.0 billion of limited partner interests in three successive mezzanine funds, including review and revision of private offering memoranda and supplements, preparation of subscription agreements, limited partnership agreements, side letters and legal opinions, negotiation of the terms of the fund documents with institutional limited partners, and management of the various limited partner closings; and advice and consultation with fund manager on securities compliance, investment policies and objectives, venture capital operating company (VCOC) and other ERISA issues, allocation and distribution issues, limited partner reporting and disclosure issues, risk management and indemnification matters, advisory committee and conflict of interest issues, portfolio company investment transactions and workouts, dissolution and fund liquidations.
$98,000,000 Joint Acquisition of a 60 MW Energy Projects Operator
Represented Zahren Alternative Power Corporation (ZAPCO), a Connecticut-based owner and operator of 60 MW of renewable energy projects around the country, in its acquisition by U. S. Energy Systems, Inc., an independent power producer, and its joint venture partner, Cinergy Solutions, Inc., an affiliate of Cincinnati-based Cinergy Corp., one of the nation's leading diversified energy companies. The transaction, valued at approximately $98,000,000, included $10,000,000 in U. S. Energy Systems' common stock; $3,000,000 in convertible preferred stock; $12,000,000 in cash and approximately $73,000,000 in existing non-recourse project financing.