John Willding is a partner in Barnes & Thornburg’s Dallas office and a member of the Corporate Department. Mr. Willding’s practice focuses on complex business matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and securities law compliance.

Mr. Willding maintains an active mergers and acquisitions practice. In recent years, he has served as lead counsel in transformative platform acquisitions in the fields of healthcare, education, financial services, aerospace, oil and gas, and produce. Additionally, he often serves as outside general counsel to middle-market companies and family offices.

Mr. Willding has extensive experience working with technology companies, from entity formation through ultimate liquidity. He has worked on numerous venture capital financings representing both funds and entrepreneurs.

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Willding served with distinction in the United States Army and Air Force Reserves. He was also selected for a federal judicial clerkship.

Active in the community, Mr. Willding serves on advisory boards for the Communities Foundation of Texas, the S.M. Wright Foundation, Financial Executives International and the Harvard Club of Dallas. He is also a member of the 2016 Class of Leadership Dallas.

Mr. Willding holds degrees from Southern Methodist University, Harvard University and Rutgers University, where he earned his J.D.

He is admitted to practice in the state of Texas.