John E. Royer, Jr.

John Royer is a Partner of the firm. He brings nearly 25 years of business and corporate law experience to his clients, for whom he frequently serves as outside general counsel. John focuses his practice primarily on business and corporate law transactions and counseling for emerging growth technology and life science companies, executives and investors, as well as middle market and family-owned businesses. Among other things, John’s practice encompasses mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, private equity and venture capital transactions, debt and equity offerings, licensing and technology contracting, fund formation and partnership and limited liability company operating agreements, as well as a wide range of business and commercial transactions, agreements and general business legal counseling.

John started his career as a member of the Corporate and Securities Practice Group of Pepper Hamilton LLP, where he represented clients in a number of public offerings, private placements, and venture capital transactions, tender offers, corporate restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, and other transactions, ranging in size up to $1 billion in value. He also handled securities law compliance, counseling, and reporting matters for publicly-held clients.

John then served as General Counsel for two technology companies. First, he was Vice President and General Counsel of XLConnect Solutions, Inc., a Nasdaq-traded information technology services provider and value-added reseller that was acquired by Xerox Corporation. Subsequently, he became Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of 4anything.com, Inc., a venture capital-backed internet, communications, and e-commerce business-to-consumer portal. As General Counsel and a member of senior management, John led and coordinated all legal needs for each company, advising the boards of directors and management teams on a broad range of legal issues, including corporate governance, customer and supplier contracting, licensing, business development, alliances and other collaborative arrangements, equity and debt financing, equity incentive plans, mergers and acquisitions, real estate leasing, intellectual property (including development of IP strategies), dispute resolution and litigation management, employment law, and marketing. He also handled securities law reporting and compliance for XLConnect, as well as structuring and negotiating a substantial corporate partnering arrangement involving commercial and financing elements with one of the world’s largest software companies, while for 4anything he structured expansion-stage venture capital transactions and navigated the company through a challenging debt workout/restructuring and rightsizing.

John’s experiences as General Counsel of two technology companies positioned him well to return to private practice with a fulsome understanding and appreciation of client needs. Immediately before co-founding the firm, John was a co-founder and co-managing partner of SorinRoyerCooper LLC. Prior to that he had started his own firm, Royer & Associates, LLC, and before that he was a partner in the Business Department of Saul Ewing LLP, a major mid-Atlantic region law firm, where he co-chaired the Technology, Emerging Companies and Capital Group. John’s combined experiences as a large firm corporate lawyer, the general counsel and member of senior management of two technology companies, and the founder of successful, boutique corporate law firms focused on the needs of emerging growth and middle market enterprises and investors, enable him to be a value-added resource to the clients he serves.

Publications:

John co-authored two chapters in the J. McLamb Treatise, Pennsylvania Corporate Law & Practice.

Community:

Member of the American and Pennsylvania Bar Associations

Practice Areas:

Industry Focus

• Emerging Growth
• Technology
• Life Sciences
• Internet & eCommerce
• Financial Services & Asset Management
• Middle Market Companies
• Family-owned Businesses

Substantive Focus

• Business & Commercial Transactions
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• Debt & Equity Financing Transactions
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Fund Formation
• Licensing & Technology Transactions
• Employment & Consulting Agreements
• Corporate Governance
• Corporate Restructurings
• Business Formation
• Partnerships & LLCs
• General Business & Corporate Counseling

Education:

J.D., Villanova University School of Law, 1988, Law Review member

B.A., University of Virginia, 1985

Bar Admissions:

Pennsylvania