John Hancock is a corporate partner with principal concentration on the securities matters involved in corporate financing transactions (both public offerings and private placements) and mergers and acquisitions. He represents clients in a variety of industries, but has a particular focus on high technology, software and medical device companies.
With extensive experience in initial public offerings, John represents both issuers and underwriters. For corporate issuer clients he prepares registration statements, offers guidance through the Securities and Exchange Commission review process and ensures compliance with corporate governance requirements. His work for underwriters includes review of registration statements, supervision of due diligence investigations and guidance through FINRA corporate financing review.
John has experience with a variety of other securities transactions, including issuer tender offers, Section 3(a)(10) exempt transactions and Rule 144A offerings. He represents issuers and placement agents in private financing transactions, including venture capital investments, “friends and family” financings and other private financing structures.
With regard to business combinations, John represents buyers and sellers of public and private companies, including transactions involving foreign buyers with special regulatory compliance issues.
John has an extensive corporate governance practice that features comprehensive knowledge of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. He helps public companies comply with SEC and Securities Exchange regulatory requirements, including periodic reporting obligations, proxy solicitations and disclosures of material corporate information. He also advises corporate officers and directors regarding compliance with insider trading laws and short-swing profit recapture and reporting rules under Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
John assists clients with ongoing general corporate matters, including advice to public and private companies on equity compensation programs. His counsel includes advice to public company stockholders on filing requirements and trading restrictions under federal securities laws.
A member of Foley Hoag since 1993, John served as a member of the firm’s Hiring Committee from 1995 to 2006 and as Chair of the Committee from 2003 to 2006. Following law school graduation, he clerked for The Honorable Karen J. Williams, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Life Sciences