John M. Gherlein

Partner

Cleveland
T +1.216.861.7398
F +1.216.696.0740

"John Gherlein has earned an enormous amount of respect from clients and peers'... praising 'his thorough attention to detail and extensive knowledge.'"

— Chambers USA 2014

Overview

John Gherlein is a respected adviser to public and private companies. He leads significant M&A transactions; has extensive experience advising companies on debt and equity offerings, including IPOs; and counsels public companies regarding their disclosure and reporting obligations. John regularly advises boards of directors and their committees on corporate governance matters, including in special circumstances such as change of control settings and accounting inquiries. He has worked closely with the firm's White Collar Defense and Corporate Investigations team in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act issues, options dating and other accounting inquiries.

John is the former firmwide chair of BakerHostetler's Business Group. He is ranked in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America®.

Select Experience

  • Represented MTD Products in its sale of a 20% equity interest to Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. for $234 million.
  • Represented TransDigm Group Inc. in more than 25 acquisitions and dispositions, including the acquisitions of Esterline Technologies Corporation for $4.0 billion via cash merger, Data Device Corp. for $1 billion, Young & Franklin Inc. for $260 million, Breeze-Eastern Corp. for $220 million via tender offer and merger, AmSafe Global Holdings Inc. for $750 million and McKechnie Aerospace for more than $1 billion, and the disposition of its Souriau-Sunbank Connection Technologies business for $920 million.
  • Served as issuer’s counsel to Bloomin’ Brands Inc. in its $175 million initial public offering and more than $1.2 billion of secondary equity offerings; Served as issuer’s counsel in its $230 million Rule 144A convertible notes offering.
More »

Experience

  • Represented MTD Products in its sale of a 20% equity interest to Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. for $234 million.
  • Represented TransDigm Group Inc. in more than 25 acquisitions and dispositions, including the acquisitions of Esterline Technologies Corporation for $4.0 billion via cash merger, Data Device Corp. for $1 billion, Young & Franklin Inc. for $260 million, Breeze-Eastern Corp. for $220 million via tender offer and merger, AmSafe Global Holdings Inc. for $750 million and McKechnie Aerospace for more than $1 billion, and the disposition of its Souriau-Sunbank Connection Technologies business for $920 million.
  • Served as issuer’s counsel to Bloomin’ Brands Inc. in its $175 million initial public offering and more than $1.2 billion of secondary equity offerings; Served as issuer’s counsel in its $230 million Rule 144A convertible notes offering.
  • Represented Sandusky Newspapers, Inc. in the sale of its 10-station Radio Division to Hubbard Radio and in three separate sale transactions involving Sandusky’s newspaper properties.
  • Represented Keithley Instruments Inc. (NYSE: KEI) in a sale process that culminated in the acquisition of the company by Danaher in a $300 million cash merger.
  • Represented Envision Pharmaceutical Holdings Inc., a $3.5 billion pharmacy benefits management company, in its acquisition by TPG.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • Chambers USA: Corporate/M&A in Ohio (2005 to 2022)
    • Band 1 (2012 to 2022)
  • The Legal 500 United States (2013 to 2019)
    • Recommended in M&A - middle-market ($500m-$999m)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Ohio: Corporate Compliance Law (2015 to Present)
      • Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year (2016, 2021)
    • Ohio: Corporate Governance Law (2016 to Present)
      • Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year (2023)
    • Ohio: Corporate Law (2010 to Present)
      • Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year (2020, 2022)
    • Ohio: Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2010 to Present)
      • Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year (2017, 2022)
    • Ohio: Securities / Capital Markets Law (2015 to Present)
      • Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year (2022)
    • Ohio: Securities Regulation (2016 to Present)
      • Lawyer of the Year (2023)
  • Who's Who Legal: Mergers and Acquisitions (2014)
  • Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent
  • Ohio "Super Lawyer" (2008 to 2020)

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Ohio State Bar Association
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association: Securities Law Section

Publications

Alerts

Community

  • University School
    • Board of Trustees
    • U.S. Alumni Association: Past President
  • Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
    • Board of Directors

Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1983
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1982
  • Ohio, 1980

Education

  • J.D., Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 1980
  • B.A., Bucknell University, 1977