John Kaercher, P.C.
Overview
John Kaercher is a partner in Kirkland's corporate transactional group. His practice is primarily focused on counseling corporate clients, private equity sponsors and portfolio companies in structuring, negotiating and executing complex business transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, leveraged buyouts, going-private transactions, purchases and sales through bankruptcy, carve-out transactions, corporate restructurings, recapitalizations, dividends and equity financings as well as general corporate matters.
John has led representative matters ranging in size from several million dollars to approximately $15 billion in a variety of industries, including the technology, media/entertainment, telecommunications, CPG, energy and infrastructure sectors (including digital infrastructure, oil and gas, power, renewables and energy transition). John forms long-lasting relationships with his clients and is routinely called upon to lead complicated transactions on expedited timelines. In addition, John frequents the speaker circuits, regularly participating on panels or providing insights on topical matters.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Kirkland, John's representative transactions have included:
- Vyopta, a provider of collaboration management solutions, offering analytics and monitoring for large video networks, in its acquisition by HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ)
- GCM Grosvenor (NASDAQ: GCMG) on acquiring a 25% equity interest in Shepherds Flat from Brookfield Asset Management and its institutional partners, including its listed affiliate Brookfield Renewable
- Northampton Capital Partners in the arrangement agreement with Altius Renewable Royalties Corp. (TSX: ARR; OTCQX: ARTWF) to acquire the public float of ARR
- Thoma Bravo in connection with:
- its sale of Exostar to Arlington Capital Partners
- its acquisition of Bluesight, the Medication Intelligence™ Company
- Bluesight’s acquisition of Medacist, a pioneer in drug diversion monitoring
- its growth investment in Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Inc.
- the sale of a majority stake in Riskonnect to TA Associates
- the sale of a majority stake in Nintex to TPG Capital
- Marlin Equity Partners and Virgin Pulse on Virgin Pulse’s merger with HealthComp to create a comprehensive employer health platform
- Northleaf Capital Partners in multiple transactions, including in its:
- strategic partnership with and investment in Tillman FiberCo to construct a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network
- $1.5 billion recapitalization of DataBank, a data center services provider
- project financing transaction involving Tillman FloridaCo
- Diversified Energy Company plc (LSE: DEC; NYSE: DEC) in connection with:
- the issuance of $610 million of asset-backed securities backed by producing wells, and the associated repayment of certain previously issued asset-backed securities
- its $240 million acquisition of certain upstream assets and related facilities in Oklahoma and Texas from ConocoPhillips Company
- the closing of a sustainability-linked asset backed securitization (ABS) of certain Barnett Shale assets in North Texas
- its acquisition of certain upstream assets, field infrastructure, equipment and facilities within the company's Central Region from Tapstone Energy Holdings, LLC and its related party KL CHK SPV, LLC
- Echo Investment Capital in multiple transactions, including:
- its acquisition of a majority stake in Energy FC in Oklahoma City
- its sale of mineral and royalty interests in the Permian and Anadarko basins to Sixth Street Partners
- its divestiture of certain oil and gas mineral interests to Brigham Minerals
- Benchmark Energy II in multiple transactions, including:
- the investment of a majority interest in Benchmark by Acacia Research Corporation
- the acquisition of upstream oil and gas assets in the Western Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma and Texas from Revolution Resources
- obtaining a new $150 million revolving credit facility from Frost Bank that refinances existing indebtedness, supports ongoing working capital needs, and helped Benchmark acquire significant upstream assets and related facilities within the Western Anadarko Basin
- Guardian Capital Group (TSX: GCG; GCG.A) in connection with Guardian Smart Infrastructure Management’s acquisition of a controlling interest in Q-Free ASA, a provider of intelligent transportation systems
- Hatch Renewables, a portfolio company of Ridgemont Equity Partners, in its battery storage partnership with Equilibrium Energy
- Metallica in its acquisition of the majority interest in Furnace Record Pressing, a leading provider of high-quality vinyl records and related services
- Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL) in the formation of a strategic partnership with iCON Infrastructure for an international destination development platform
- Hatch Royalty LLC in Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP's (NYSE: KRP) approximately $290 million purchase of its mineral and royalty interests located in the Permian Basin
- Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in its strategic partnership with Primary Wave Music
- HGGC in connection with:
- the sale of a controlling interest in Beauty Industry Group
- the investment of $1.2 billion by third party investors in Integrity Marketing Group
- Blackstone in its transformative partnership with Hipgnosis Song Management to deliver c.$1 billion to acquire and manage song catalogues, with follow-on catalogue purchases from iconic artists including Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney and Leonard Cohen
- North Hudson Resources Partners and its affiliated funds in the $402 million purchase of LOGOS Resources II LLC from ArcLight Capital Partners
- Atrium Hospitality in its business combination with Alpine Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded SPAC
- Willoughby Capital in multiple growth-equity investments across various industries
- L&F Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: LNFA), a special purpose acquisition company, in its $1.4 billion business combination with ZeroFox. As part of the transaction, ZeroFox acquired IDX and became a publicly traded company named ZeroFox Holdings (NASDAQ: ZFOX)
- Black Rifle Coffee Company in its business combination with SilverBox Engaged Merger Corp.
- RedTeam Software in its acquisition of PASKR
- JettyCove Holdings in multiple growth-equity investments across various industries
- Cleanhill Partners in its partnership with CleanJoule LLC
- Amp Solar Group in its acquisition of battery storage facilities in the UK
- Mosaik Equity in connection with:
- its sale of Payveris to Paymentus Holdings
- multiple growth equity investments
- Vegvisir Capital in its acquisition of Royal Alliances
- Mountain Valley Pipeline in its acquisition of Verified Emission Reductions from NextEra Energy
Prior to joining Kirkland, John's representative transactions included:
- Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Barnes & Noble in Barnes & Noble’s $683 million acquisition by a major investment management company
- Starz in its $4.4 billion acquisition by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.
- NASCAR in its $2 billion acquisition of International Speedway Corporation
- Liberty Latin America in its acquisition of Telefonica S.A’s wireless operations in Costa Rica
- Liberty Media Corporation in its acquisition of Formula 1 and subsequent secondary equity offerings for the shares received by former owners of Formula 1
- Liberty Latin America in its acquisition of a controlling stake in United Telecommunications Services N.V.
- AffiniPay in its $580 million sale to TA Associates
- EQT Production Company, an affiliate of EQT Corporation, in its divestiture of oil, gas, and NGL assets for approximately $575 million
- Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a NYSE-listed midstream MLP, in its $313 million initial public offering
- Jones Energy, a NYSE-listed upstream oil and gas company, in its $175 million initial public offering
- Jones Energy in its sale to Revolution Resources
Prior Experience
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
Moderator, “Driving Value Creation Capabilities Through Uncertain Times: Rewriting the Playbook,” Mergermarket Private Equity Forum Austin, October 2023
Panelist, “Lightning in a Box: Energy Storage,” Hart Energy's 2022 Energy Transition Capital Conference, May 2022
Recognition
“Up and Coming” for Corporate/M&A in Texas: Austin & Surrounds, Chambers USA, 2024
“Rising Star,” Texas Super Lawyer, 2018–2022
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- Texas
Education
- University of Virginia School of LawJ.D.2011
- University of Texas at AustinB.A.with Honors2007