John Owen Gwathmey

Partner

Richmond
Business Phone: 804.697.1225
Business Fax: 804.698.5174

johnowen.gwathmey@troutmansanders.com

vCard

John Owen is a partner on the Private Equity and Venture Capital Team. He is also a member of the Renewable Energy Team. His practice focuses on private equity and venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities offerings, federal securities laws (including compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Act), corporate governance, and general corporate law. His representative clients include private equity and venture capital funds, chemical and industrial companies, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, energy companies, and internet service and software companies.

Representative Experience
Represent private equity and venture capital funds in connection with fund formation, initial and subsequent equity offerings and portfolio acquisitions.

Serve as regular outside counsel to Fortune 500 industrial and manufacturing companies.

Represented private equity fund in connection with a PIPEs investment in a global biotechnology company.

Represented public U.S. pharmaceutical company (portfolio company of private equity fund) in connection with $2.6 billion sale to U.K. pharmaceutical company.

Represented internet services provider in connection with a venture capital investment in an internet marketing company.

Represented a venture capital fund in connection with an investment in an emergency notification services company.

Represented a biotechnology company in connection with venture investments by a private equity fund.

Represented private equity fund in connection with the acquisition of a drill rig and services company of the natural gas drilling industry.

Represented renewable energy company in connection with the sale of a tire recycling company.

Represented public chemical manufacturing company in connection with the acquisition of a privately-owned chemical emissions company.

Represented private equity fund in connection with acquisition of a chain of retail shoe companies.

Represented portfolio company of private equity fund in connection with the acquisitions of a U.S. based and a European-based laboratory diagnostics companies.

Represented a state chartered bank in connection with the acquisition of a bank building real estate company.

Represented bank building holding company in defense of a hostile tender offer.

Represented public U.S. specialty printing company in connection with $430 million sale to public printing company.

Represented public U.S. chemical manufacturing company in connection with $763 million acquisition of a Dutch chemical manufacturing company.

Represented public chemical manufacturing company in connection with $170 million common stock offering and $325 million public debt offering.

Represented a large public industrial auto parts manufacturer in several dispositions of domestic and international subsidiaries, divisions and assets.

Represented private drug distribution company in connection with sale to international public drug company.

Represented public industrial companies in connection with strategic joint ventures.

Represented financial subsidiary of a public manufacturing company in connection with more than 25 dispositions of its project finance and leveraged leasing portfolio.

Represented companies and underwriters in connection with initial and secondary public offerings and tender offers.

Publications
Co-author, “Recent trends in initial public offerings,” A Milestone Year in the Private Equity Arena, A Financier Worldwide Supplement, 2005.

Co-author, “The erosion of the power of the board of directors,” Virginia Business Magazine, June 2005.

Public Service
Advisory Board, Historic Richmond Foundation

Vice Chair, Business Law Section of Virginia Bar Association

Former President, Board of Trustees, Historic Richmond Foundation

Former President, Board of Directors, Aylett Country Day School
     Recipient of 2008 Outstanding Alumni Award

Other Distinctions
Selected by Law & Politics as a Virginia Super Lawyer in Mergers & Acquisitions (2006-2011)

Selected as a member of Virginia Business Magazine’s Virginia Legal Elite for Business Law (2009-2010)

Named a 2011 BTI Client Service All-Star

print

Education

  • University of Virginia, J.D., 1990

    Order of the Coif

  • University of Virginia, M.B.A., 1990
  • Princeton University, A.B., 1985


Bar Admissions

  • Virginia


Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Virginia Bar Association 
  • Vice Chair, Business Business Law Section of Virginia Bar Association
  • Former President, Board of Trustees, Historic Richmond Foundation
  • Former President, Board of Directors, Aylett Country Day School (Recipient of 2008 Outstanding Alumni Award)