John Willding is a partner in Barnes & Thornburg’s Dallas and Washington, D.C., offices and a member of the Corporate Department. Mr. Willding’s practice focuses on complex business matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and securities law compliance.
Mr. Willding maintains an active mergers and acquisitions practice. In recent years, he has served as lead counsel in transformative platform acquisitions in the fields of healthcare, education, financial services, aerospace, oil and gas, and food. Additionally, he often serves as outside general counsel to middle-market companies and family offices.
He regularly assists clients with significant matters involving the federal government. Mr. Willding has extensive experience working with technology companies, from entity formation through ultimate liquidity. He has worked on numerous venture capital financings representing both funds and entrepreneurs.
Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Willding served with distinction in the United States Army and Air Force Reserves. He was also selected for a federal judicial clerkship.
Active in the community, Mr. Willding serves on advisory boards for the Communities Foundation of Texas, the S.M. Wright Foundation, Financial Executives International and the Harvard Club of Dallas. He is a graduate of the 2016 Leadership Dallas Class.
Mr. Willding holds degrees from Southern Methodist University, Harvard University and Rutgers University, where he earned his J.D.