John Mahon

Practice Areas

John Mahon's practice focuses on the formation and ongoing operation of “permanent capital” retail investment vehicles, including interval funds, tender offer funds, semi-liquid funds, business development companies (BDCs), and other structures that broaden access to private markets and advance the growing trend of democratizing private capital.

He represents private equity firms, credit managers, and other financial sector participants in a wide range of fund formation, capital markets, and securities law matters, including both public and private offerings of BDCs and other alternative investment vehicles, such as registered closed-end tender offer funds and interval funds.

John has extensive experience in advising asset managers on the unique regulatory complexities involved in launching and managing registered funds and BDCs, including as part of larger platforms, and has sought and obtained SEC exemptive and no-action relief on behalf of numerous clients.

John's work in securities law and mergers and acquisitions includes providing guidance to both regulated funds and their boards in connection with ongoing corporate governance and SEC reporting and compliance matters. He also routinely advises clients on 1940 Act and other regulatory considerations in connection with both regulated fund and asset manager acquisitions, and regularly handles related matters involving tender offers, proxy solicitations, and beneficial ownership reporting obligations.

Career

Partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; previously worked in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Corporation Finance, where he earned the SEC Capital Markets Award; adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School since 2009; adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center since 2023; formerly served as chair of the Corporate Finance Committee of the Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Section of the District of Columbia Bar.

Publications

John is a prominent and engaged member of the investment management community and regularly interacts with industry groups on matters impacting the alternative asset management space. He has spoken and written on topics ranging from SEC regulations and disclosure obligations to public and private capital raising structures, 1940 Act regulated funds and M&A issues relating to asset manager acquisitions.