Overview
John Kanan is an experienced corporate attorney who is well versed in corporate and financial transactional matters. He counsels publicly and privately held businesses and their owners and directors and provides a broad range of legal advice to dozens of companies in a wide variety of industries. He has considerable knowledge regarding international business transactions, acquisitions, and divestitures.
- Acts as lead counsel in mergers, acquisitions, and sales of public and private companies in transactions ranging from several million to several billion dollars
- Provides guidance in private equity and debt offerings
- Advises on the formation of private equity and other funds
- Represents clients in complex financing transactions
- Counsels clients in complex joint ventures
- Represents U.S. operations of non-U.S. headquartered companies
- Advises clients on employment agreements, noncompetition agreements, and equity-based compensation plans and agreements, including stock option plans and bonus plans
- Advises Formation of U.S. subsidiaries for Chinese companies
- Represents Chinese, Japanese and Indian companies in acquisitions of US companies
- Represents US and foreign companies in complex financing arrangements
Services
Practice Areas
Industries
Experience
Prior Experience
- Timmis & Inman, L.L.P., Associate Attorney, 1992-1997
Credentials
Education
University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D.
- magna cum laude
- Journal of Legislation, 1991-1993
University of Michigan, A.B.
- Communications and English Literature
- with distinction
Admissions
- Michigan
Recognition
Awards
The Best Lawyers in America, 2018-2025
- Recognized in practice areas of:
- Corporate Law
- Mergers & Acquisitions Law
- International Mergers & Acquisitions
- Law Bulletin Media
- Leading Lawyers, Closely & Privately Held Business Law, 2023-2024
- Leading Lawyers, Publicly Held Corporations Law, 2023-2024
- Detroit International Mergers and Acquisitions "Lawyer of the Year," 2021, 2023
- Detroit Mergers & Acquisitions "Lawyer of the Year," 2023
Michigan Super Lawyers, 2012-2022
DBusiness, Top Lawyers, 2010-2011, 2019, 2022, and 2023-2024
Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
Professional & Community Involvement
- State Bar of Michigan
- Business Law Section
- International Law Section
- Interlaw, an international association of 70 independent law firms
- Firm Representative
- North America Leader of Mergers and Acquisitions Special Business Team