John Laco

Partner

John Laco is the head of O’Melveny’s 60 attorney Los Angeles Transactions Group and a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice.  John represents private and public companies, private equity and pension funds and family investment offices in mergers and acquisitions (buy-side and sell-side), equity and debt financing and recapitalization transactions.

John also provides boards of directors, CEOs and executive management with general corporate advice (fiduciary duties, executive compensation, corporate structure and stockholder agreements) and counsel with respect to joint ventures and other strategic decisions.  John has experience across a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, professional services, medical devices, apparel, aerospace, entertainment, retail, software and technology, including semiconductor and clean energy technologies.

Illustrative Professional Experience

• Representing the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board in connection with portfolio company investment and disposition transactions, including the NYSE initial public offering of GNC, holding company of General Nutrition Centers
• Representing MacSteel Global B.V. in the sale of its US operations, MacSteel Service Centers USA, to Klöckner USA, a subsidiary of Klöckner & Co SE
• Representing Guess?, Inc. in general corporate and securities law matters 
• Representing Beachpoint Capital in portfolio company investment and recapitalization transactions
• Representing Global Communications Semiconductors in a reincorporation merger into the Cayman Islands after stockholder approval of a California recapitalization, in anticipation of a Taiwan IPO
• Representing Rosendin Holdings, Inc. in general corporate, legal structure, and stockholder matters
• Representing American Capital, Ltd. in leveraged buy-out investments, portfolio company dispositions (including sales of Axygen BioScience to Corning, Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company to RLJ Capital, and United Food Group to The Yucaipa Companies), portfolio company “add-on” acquisitions and recapitalization transactions
• Representing Castle & Cooke in the acquisition of Inland Cold Storage
• Representing DIRECTV in the acquisition of 180 Connect, Inc.
• Representing an electric automobile manufacturer in a successful California fairness hearing and rescission offer, and merger transactions
• Representing the Special Committee of the Board of a NASDAQ listed company in connection with an “interested party” acquisition transaction
• Representing private companies in multiple strategic acquisition transaction acquisitions

International Experience

Mr. Laco has substantial experience working on international mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, in both Asia and Europe.

Recognitions

Mr. Laco has been recognized by The Legal 500 United States 2011 and 2010 publications as a leading lawyer for private equity buyouts and by the 2011 International Financial Law Review 1000 as a leading lawyer for private equity.

Professional Activities