John Laco

Partner

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John Laco is a seasoned corporate lawyer with more than 25 years of experience advising public and private companies and financial investors.

He works with some of the best-known Southern California and global private equity and institutional investors along the full investment cycle, from negotiating initial investments and acquisitions to subsequent tack-on acquisitions, financings, and portfolio company growth counseling.

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Honors & Awards

  • Named a “Super Lawyer” in a survey conducted by Law & Politics Media Inc. and published in Los Angeles Magazine (2014-2015)
  • Recognized as a leading lawyer for private equity buyouts by The Legal 500 United States (2010-2011)
  • Recognized as a leading lawyer for private equity by the International Financial Law Review 1000 (2011)

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • California

Education

  • Loyola Marymount University, J.D., 1992: Loyola Law Review, Editor and Staff Member; Order of the Coif; American Jurisprudence Award, Torts/Legal Writing
  • University of Notre Dame, B.S.E.E., 1987
  • Lead Engineer/Manager, Northrop, Reliability Engineering Group, 1987-1989

Professional Activities

Author

  • “Preparing to Go Public” and “What is Going Private?” chapters for Handbook for Corporate Officers and Directors, RR Donnelley Financial 

Director

  • Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Speaker

  • “Water Utility Perspective: Developing Advanced Data Sharing and Analytics,” Establishing a Cloud-Based Water and Energy Data Platform Workshop (June 2016)
  • Representing Global Infrastructure Solutions Inc. in its formation, equity capitalization and the leveraged management buyout of Structure Tone and related companies, in addition to representing GIS in other acquisition transactions and general corporate matters
  • Representing Carros Sensors Ltd. (fka Custom Sensors & Technologies), a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, PAI Partners, and Schneider Electric, in the sale of BEI Precision Systems & Space Company, Inc., and Systron Donner Inertial, Inc., as well as other disposition transactions and general corporate matters
  • Representing Vance Street Capital portfolio company R.S.T. Instruments Ltd. in the acquisition of Measurand, Inc.
  • Representing Vance Street Capital in portfolio company acquisitions
  • Representing California Resources Corporation in water law transactions and issues
  • Representing Panavision in general corporate matters, acquisitions and recapitalization transactions
  • Representing Brookfield Asset Management in private equity transactions, including its acquisition of a 49% equity interest in the TraPac port terminal operations at the Port of Los Angeles from MOL
  • Representing a sovereign wealth fund in agriculture investments in the United States
  • Representing the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board in connection with portfolio company investment and disposition transactions, including the acquisition of Broetje Apple Orchards and Woodspur Farming, the NYSE initial public offering of GNC and multiple private equity transactions
  • Representing Mitsui USA in portfolio company investment transactions
  • Representing Colony Capital in private equity transactions
  • Representing Macquarie Infrastructure Partners in its acquisition of a 49% stake in NYK Ports LLC, operator of the Yusen Terminals in the Port of Los Angeles, from Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Representing Mitsubishi Corporation in portfolio company investment and disposition transactions
  • Representing MacSteel Global B.V. in the sale of its U.S. 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 Willdan Group, Inc. in the acquisition of Lime Energy Company
  • Representing Willdan Group, Inc. in general corporate and acquisition matters
  • Representing Crescent Capital in portfolio company investment and recapitalization transactions
  • Counseling Rosendin Holdings, Inc. in general corporate, legal structure, and stockholder matters
  • Representing Global Communication Semiconductors in a California recapitalization preceding reincorporation into the Cayman Islands
  • Representing Beachpoint Capital in portfolio company investment and recapitalization transactions
  • Representing American Capital, Ltd. in dozens of leveraged buy-out investments, portfolio company dispositions, portfolio company “add-on” acquisitions and recapitalization transactions, including sales of Axygen BioScience to Corning, Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company to RLJ Capital, and United Food Group to The Yucaipa Companies
  • Representing Castle & Cooke in the acquisition of Inland Cold Storage
  • Representing DIRECTV in the acquisition of 180 Connect, Inc.
  • Representing management of Elo Touch Solutions in connection with its sale by The Gores Group to funds managed by Crestview Partners
  • Representing an electric automobile manufacturer in a successful California fairness hearing and rescission offer, and merger transactions
  • Counseling the Special Committee of the Board of a NASDAQ listed company in connection with “interested party” transactions
  • Representing private companies in multiple strategic acquisition transaction acquisitions
  • Representing Renewable Resources Group in portfolio company investment and dispositions, and water law transactions

International Experience

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

Alerts and Publications