Atty. John P. Cleary
John P. Cleary, Co-Managing Shareholder of the San Diego office, represents public and private clients in a variety of corporate and securities matters.
Profile Summary
About John P. Cleary at a glance
John P. Cleary is a Shareholder based in San Diego, California, practicing at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. They have 32+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1994. Their practice focuses on business. Admitted to practice in Missouri (1994) and California (1997). Educated at University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (JD, 1994) and University of Kansas (BA, 1991). Active member of Professional & Community Involvement •Chairman, Betty Ford Center Alumni Association, San Diego Chapter •Past Board President, McAlister Institute. Serands clients in San Diego, CA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- John P. Cleary, Co-Managing Shareholder of the San Diego office, represents public and private clients in a variety of corporate and securities matters
- He focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities transactions, franchise formation and compliance, and general corporate matters
- John also works with private equity and investment firms on structure, formation, SEC compliance, and transactions
- In the realm of mergers and acquisitions, John represents private equity firms and other buyers in stock and asset transactions
- He also assists companies and management in business sales, merger and acquisition transactions, and joint venture arrangements
- For publicly held companies, John handles transactional matters including initial public offerings, secondary public offerings, registered direct offerings, and alternative go-public transactions such as reverse mergers
- John’s practice extends to counseling public companies on various aspects of securities law, including PIPE transactions, securities offerings, Rule 144 matters, SEC compliance and reporting, and general business matters
- This approach allows John to support companies at various stages of growth, from early-stage startups to established public entities
- John also serves as outside legal counsel for startup and emerging growth companies, particularly in the technology and action sports/lifestyle industries
- He guides these clients through formation, seed, and preferred stock financings, and ongoing corporate needs
- John’s work in this area encompasses a wide range of services, from initial company setup to navigating complex funding rounds
- Additionally, John represents companies in Regulation CF “crowdfunding” offerings and Rule 506(c) advertised offerings, providing guidance on these alternative capital-raising methods
- Concentrations •Assist sellers in the sale of their businesses, including asset sales, stock sales and mergers •Represent private equity buyers in acquisitions •Fund formation and compliance including broker-dealer matters and 1940 Act issues •Start-up company representation including venture capital financings Recognition & Leadership Awards & Accolades •Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law, 2026 •Listed, San Diego Business Journal, 'Best of the Bar,' Corporate Law, 2016
Practice Areas Explained
John P. Cleary's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases John P. Cleary handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
John P. Cleary is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in California →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in California
Practicing law in California. Legal matters in California are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in San Diego are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate California state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in California brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in California courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional California attorneys? Browse all attorneys in San Diego or all attorneys in California.
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