Johnson_Brian

Brian A. Johnson

Partner

  • Vice Chair, Corporate Practice Group
  • Co-Chair, Capital Markets

Brian Johnson is a trusted legal counselor and practical business advisor with extensive experience representing public and private companies and financial institutions in a wide variety of corporate finance and other significant strategic transactions. He regularly acts as general outside corporate counsel for his clients to provide senior management and boards of directors advice on governance, securities law, compliance and other ongoing corporate matters. Mr. Johnson has a particular focus on life sciences and emerging companies, while continuing to represent clients in a range of industries.

Learn more about Mr. Johnson's practice and how he can support your startup on WilmerHaleLaunch.com.

Mr. Johnson is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

Experience

  • Corporate Finance

    Examples of Mr. Johnson's corporate finance transactions include the following:

    • Initial public offerings representing Inozyme Pharma, Arvinas, Nabriva Therapeutics, Summit Therapeutics, Ocular Therapeutix, Eleven Biotherapeutics, Ophthotech, PTC Therapeutics, Durata Therapeutics, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Verastem and Emergent BioSolutions
    • Initial public offerings representing the underwriters for Xeris, ProQR Therapeutics, Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, NuPathe, Visicu and Targacept
    • Numerous follow-on offerings of equity, convertible and debt securities representing Arvinas, Emergent BioSolutions, IVERIC bio, Ocular Therapeutix, PTC Therapeutics, Nightstar Therapeutics, Voyager Therapeutics, Nabriva Therapeutics, Summit Therapeutics, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Ophthotech, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Durata Therapeutics, Savient Pharmaceuticals, Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Aspect Medical Systems, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Thermo Electron and Critical Therapeutics
    • Venture capital and private financings representing a large number of companies and venture capital firms as investors
  • M&A

    Mr. Johnson represents acquirors and targets in the life sciences, technology and information services industries in a variety of acquisition and strategic transactions.

Recognition

  • Recommended in the 2016–2019 editions of The Legal 500 United States for capital markets: debt - advice to issuers and capital markets: equity offerings - advice to issuers
  • Named among the 2019–2023 Best Lawyers in America for his work in corporate law

Insights & News

Credentials

  • Education

    • JD, New York University School of Law, 1999

      magna cum laude Order of the Coif
    • BA, Economics and Political Science, Tufts University, 1995

      cum laude
  • Admissions

    • New York

Credentials

Notice

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