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Spencer Johnson focuses on capital raising transactions and the related deployment of that capital in acquisitions, co-investments and joint ventures. As a partner in our Capital Markets and M&A practice, Spencer counsels private equity funds and their sponsors, asset managers, real estate investment trusts, and corporate clients in these transactions.

With deep experience in complex capital formation, Spencer works with clients to implement transaction structures that meet strategic business objectives. These objectives often mandate implementing capital structures that are tailored to client-specific needs while also providing flexibility for the widest array of potential investors globally. Spencer routinely works with clients on fund formation, sponsor formation, and strategic alliances/joint ventures. He also counsels clients in public capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings, "at-the-market" offerings and follow-on offerings.

After capital formation, Spencer works with his clients to put their capital to work. Spencer advises clients in mergers and acquisitions, asset transactions, co-investments and other acquisitions-focused transactions. His practice includes acquisitions transactions for public and private companies with both domestic and cross-border elements. He also works with public companies and their boards of directors/trustees on high profile matters, including activism, crisis management and response, environmental, social and government matters (ESG) and fiduciary duties. Spencer has been recognized as a Leading Practitioner in Chambers USA for REITs, IFLR1000 in the Capital Markets and M&A categories and in Legal 500 U.S. in the M&A/Corporate and Commercial—M&A Middle Market category.

Spencer also routinely advises clients on compliance and regulatory issues relating to corporate governance, Advisers Act status, Investment Company Act matters, broker-dealer matters and securities regulation.

Spencer's practice has a particular emphasis in the real estate, real asset, infrastructure and energy industries. He leads the firm's real estate investment trust industry team. The firm's REIT practice is industry-ranked by Chambers.

Spencer is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts as well as a designated firm representative for the Pension Real Estate Association.

Full Bio

Credentials

J.D., Emory University, high honors

B.S., University of Central Florida

Georgia

Intern, Frank Mays Hull, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Board of Advisors, Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl hosting the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship

State Bar of Georgia

Recognized Practitioner for Capital Markets: Equity Offerings


LEGAL 500 U.S. 2022

Recognized as a Notable Practitioner for Mergers & Acquisitions


IFLR1000 2022

Recognized Practitioner for REITs


LEGAL 500 USA 2022

Recognized Practitioner for Investment Funds: Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital)


CHAMBERS USA 2022

Recognized as a Notable Practitioner for Capital Markets: Debt and Capital Markets: Equity


IFLR1000 2022

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Recognition

Recognized Practitioner for Capital Markets: Equity Offerings


LEGAL 500 U.S. 2022

Recognized as a Notable Practitioner for Mergers & Acquisitions


IFLR1000 2022

Recognized Practitioner for REITs


LEGAL 500 USA 2022

Recognized Practitioner for Investment Funds: Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital)


CHAMBERS USA 2022

Recognized as a Notable Practitioner for Capital Markets: Debt and Capital Markets: Equity


IFLR1000 2022

News

In the News · Source: Law360 Real Estate Authority, The Deal, Global Legal Chronicle and citybiz

July 30, 2023
Gibbs Fryer, Tony Rothermel, Spencer Johnson and Josh Kamin advise Carroll on its acquisition by The RMR Group

View all

Matters

Represented Preferred Apartment Communities (NYSE: APTS) in its $5.8 billion sale to Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust.

Represented CatchMark Timber Trust (NYSE: CTT) in its $5 billion all-stock merger with PotlatchDeltic Corporation.

Represented Americold Realty Trust in connection with its $942 million IPO. The IPO was the largest up-sized IPO of REIT shares in history.

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Close

Matters

Represented Preferred Apartment Communities (NYSE: APTS) in its $5.8 billion sale to Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust.

Represented CatchMark Timber Trust (NYSE: CTT) in its $5 billion all-stock merger with PotlatchDeltic Corporation.

Represented Americold Realty Trust in connection with its $942 million IPO. The IPO was the largest up-sized IPO of REIT shares in history.

Represented Nuveen, the global investment manager of TIAA, in its acquisition of Greenworks Lending, a national leader in Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing.

Represented Prologis (NYSE: PLD) in its $890 million 20/80 joint venture with Ivanhoé Cambridge in Brazil.

Represented Lion Industrial Trust, an open-end industrial fund organized as a private REIT, and its sponsor Clarion Partners, a real estate investment manager with $52 billion in total assets under management, in ongoing capital raising.

Represented Equifax (NYSE: EFX) in its $1.825 billion acquisition of Appriss Insights from Clearlake Capital.

Represented Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) in its $500 million acquisition of MineralTree, Inc.

News

In the News · Source: Law360 Real Estate Authority, The Deal, Global Legal Chronicle and citybiz

July 30, 2023
Gibbs Fryer, Tony Rothermel, Spencer Johnson and Josh Kamin advise Carroll on its acquisition by The RMR Group

View all

Matters

Represented Preferred Apartment Communities (NYSE: APTS) in its $5.8 billion sale to Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust.

Represented CatchMark Timber Trust (NYSE: CTT) in its $5 billion all-stock merger with PotlatchDeltic Corporation.

Represented Americold Realty Trust in connection with its $942 million IPO. The IPO was the largest up-sized IPO of REIT shares in history.

See more

Close

Matters

Represented Preferred Apartment Communities (NYSE: APTS) in its $5.8 billion sale to Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust.

Represented CatchMark Timber Trust (NYSE: CTT) in its $5 billion all-stock merger with PotlatchDeltic Corporation.

Represented Americold Realty Trust in connection with its $942 million IPO. The IPO was the largest up-sized IPO of REIT shares in history.

Represented Nuveen, the global investment manager of TIAA, in its acquisition of Greenworks Lending, a national leader in Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing.

Represented Prologis (NYSE: PLD) in its $890 million 20/80 joint venture with Ivanhoé Cambridge in Brazil.

Represented Lion Industrial Trust, an open-end industrial fund organized as a private REIT, and its sponsor Clarion Partners, a real estate investment manager with $52 billion in total assets under management, in ongoing capital raising.

Represented Equifax (NYSE: EFX) in its $1.825 billion acquisition of Appriss Insights from Clearlake Capital.

Represented Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) in its $500 million acquisition of MineralTree, Inc.

News

In the News · Source: Law360 Real Estate Authority, The Deal, Global Legal Chronicle and citybiz

July 30, 2023
Gibbs Fryer, Tony Rothermel, Spencer Johnson and Josh Kamin advise Carroll on its acquisition by The RMR Group

View all

Credentials

J.D., Emory University, high honors

B.S., University of Central Florida

Georgia

Intern, Frank Mays Hull, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Board of Advisors, Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl hosting the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship

State Bar of Georgia

Recognized Practitioner for Capital Markets: Equity Offerings


LEGAL 500 U.S. 2022

Recognized as a Notable Practitioner for Mergers & Acquisitions


IFLR1000 2022

Recognized Practitioner for REITs


LEGAL 500 USA 2022

Recognized Practitioner for Investment Funds: Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital)


CHAMBERS USA 2022

Recognized as a Notable Practitioner for Capital Markets: Debt and Capital Markets: Equity


IFLR1000 2022

Close

Recognition

Recognized Practitioner for Capital Markets: Equity Offerings


LEGAL 500 U.S. 2022

Recognized as a Notable Practitioner for Mergers & Acquisitions


IFLR1000 2022

Recognized Practitioner for REITs


LEGAL 500 USA 2022

Recognized Practitioner for Investment Funds: Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital)


CHAMBERS USA 2022

Recognized as a Notable Practitioner for Capital Markets: Debt and Capital Markets: Equity


IFLR1000 2022