John K. Neal Jr.

JOHN NEAL, JR. focuses his practice on public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and takeover defense. John regularly advises private equity sponsors, their portfolio companies, and other institutional investors on a wide range of corporate transactions, including leveraged buyouts, carve-out transactions, joint ventures and co-investments, take privates, and cross border acquisitions. In addition, John routinely counsels boards and management teams in preparing for and prevailing in public takeover acquisitions, shareholder activism, and complex corporate governance situations.

While at Sidley, John completed a secondment at Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO), a leading alternative asset management firm, where he advised Apollo and its portfolio companies in connection with strategic acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, securitizations, and other complex corporate transactions and capital solutions.

John received his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School, with honors and a law and business certificate distinction, where he was a member of the Vanderbilt Law Review En Banc, and his B.S. from Clemson University.

Mergers & Acquisitions:

• Leonard Valve Company, a Bessemer Investors portfolio company, in its sale to A. O. Smith Corporation (NYSE: AOS) (pending).
• GIC in connection with the US$18.3 billion take-private acquisition of Hologic, Inc., a medical diagnostics and imaging company specializing in women’s health (pending).
• GIC Pte., as part of a consortium, in the US$14 billion acquisition of McAfee Corp.
• Athene Holding Ltd. in its merger with Apollo Global Management, Inc. in an all-stock transaction (with Athene valued at approximately US$11 billion).
• Emerson Electric in its unsolicited takeover bid for National Instruments (closed for US$8.2 billion).
• American Industrial Partners (AIP) in its US$700 million acquisition of the Grain & Protein division of AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO).
• One Equity Partners and Buckthorn Partners in their acquisition of Acteon Group.
• ScionHealth in its acquisition of Cornerstone Healthcare Group.
• Newfold Digital, a web and commerce technology provider backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. and Siris Capital Group, LLC, in connection with its US$302.5 million acquisition of MarkMonitor Inc.

Shareholder Activism:

• Hasbro, Inc. in its proxy contest defense against Alta Fox and Ancora Holdings Group, LLC.
• The New York Times in respect to an activist investment by ValueAct.
• Sleep Number Corporation in its activism campaign defense and related cooperation agreement with Stadium Capital Management.
• Alight, Inc. (NYSE: ALIT) in its settlement of an activism campaign by Starboard Value LP.
• Beyond, Inc. (f/k/a Overstock.com, Inc.) in connection with its activism campaign defense against JAT Capital Management, LP.
• Crown Castle Inc. in connection with its activism campaign defense against Elliott Management.
• Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (CMTL) in connection with an unsolicited bid by Acacia Research Corporation.
• Alkermes plc in its proxy contest defenses against Sarissa Capital Management LP and activism campaign defense against Elliott Management.
• Pitney Bowes in its proxy contest defense against Hestia Capital.

Capital Markets:

• MP Materials Corp. in connection with filing of S-3 registration statement for the issuance of up to US$4 billion aggregate securities.
• Aon plc and its affiliates in connection with a US$1 billion aggregate senior notes transaction offered through a co-issuer structure.
• Port of Newcastle in US$300 million Rule 144A high-yield bond offering.

John’s pro bono practice focuses on representation of individuals seeking asylum in the United States.