About me

Address: Dallas: 2300 N. Field Street, Suite 1800, Dallas, TX 75201-2481

Areas of Focus: Corporate; Capital Markets; Corporate Governance; Mergers & Acquisitions; Pro Bono; Public Company Advisory

Biography:
John Patrick Clayton advises clients on complex capital markets transactions, SEC disclosure issues and corporate governance matters. He has represented issuers and private equity sponsors in a wide variety of securities offerings, including initial public offerings, follow-on and secondary offerings, high-yield debt offerings and PIPE financings. John also regularly provides SEC counsel to clients in connection with going private transactions, spin-offs, tender offers, de-SPACs and other public M&A deals.
While in law school, John participated in a semester-long externship at the SEC. During this time, he worked in the Division of Enforcement, where he assisted SEC attorneys in the investigation of securities laws violations.
As an Akin Pro Bono Scholar, John worked at the KIPP Foundation, where he assisted the general counsel in providing legal guidance to the foundation and the various KIPP schools throughout the country.
Previously, John taught special education in Charlotte, N.C., as a member of Teach for America, and he continues to be active in education reform.

Representative Work:
- Regularly advises several New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq-listed companies across a variety of industries in connection with their corporate governance, ongoing SEC reporting requirements and capital-raising activities.
- Advised a retailer in its $10.95 billion investment grade notes offering.
- Advised CIIG Merger Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, in its $5.4 billion merger with Arrival.
- Advised RCCH HealthCare Partners, which is owned by certain funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC, in its recent take-private acquisition of LifePoint Health, Inc. and in its prior acquisition of Capella Health Holdings. The company, now known as LifePoint Health, Inc., operates regional health systems, physician practices, outpatient centers and post-acute facilities in more than 85 non-urban communities that span coast to coast.
- Advised WMIH Corp. in its completed $3.8 billion acquisition of Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc.
- Advised Novitex Holdings, Inc., a private company owned by Apollo Global Management, LLC, in a business combination involving the company SourceHOV Holdings, Inc. and Quinpario Acquisition Corp. 2, a special-purpose acquisition company, to form Exela Technologies, Inc.

Credentials:
Education: J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 2013 (cum laude); M.A., New York University, 2007; B.M., University of North Texas, 2005 (cum laude)
Bar Admissions: Texas, 2013

Recognitions:
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Affiliations:
- Akin Pro Bono Scholar, KIPP Foundation (2011).
- Leadership ISD Fellow (2017-2018).

Insights:
- SEC Proposes Regulation Crypto Assets: A Tailored Offering Framework for Crypto Investment Contracts (August 19, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-proposes-regulation-crypto-assets-a-tailored-offering-framework-for-crypto-investment-contracts
- Akin Advises Millrose Properties on Up to $1.25 Billion Financing for Dream Finders Homes' Acquisition of Beazer Homes  (August 10, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/press-releases/akin-advises-millrose-properties-on-up-to-dollar125-billion-financing-for-dream-finders-homes-acquisition-of-beazer-homes
- DExit: The Reincorporation Decision — A Guide for Investors (July 29, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/dexit-the-reincorporation-decision-a-guide-for-investors
- Is It Time to DExit?  A Guide for Boards (July 22, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/is-it-time-to-dexit-a-guide-for-boards
- SEC Proposes Regulation E-Delivery: Electronic Delivery Would Become the Default (July 17, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-proposes-regulation-e-delivery-electronic-delivery-would-become-the-default
- SEC Expands Availability of Five Business Day Tender and Exchange Offers (July 6, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-expands-availability-of-five-business-day-tender-and-exchange-offers
- SEC Proposes Reforms to Registered Offerings and Public Company Reporting (May 21, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-proposes-reforms-to-registered-offerings-and-public-company-reporting
- SEC Proposes Optional Semiannual Reporting for Public Companies: What You Need to Know (May 6, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-proposes-optional-semiannual-reporting-for-public-companies-what-you-need-to-know
- SEC Grants Relief Permitting Shortened Tender Offer Periods for Equity Securities (April 20, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-grants-relief-permitting-shortened-tender-offer-periods-for-equity-securities
- SEC Adopts Final Rules Requiring Section 16(a) Reporting for Directors and Officers of FPIs, and Provides Exemptive Relief for FPI Directors and Officers in Qualifying Jurisdictions (March 12, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-adopts-final-rules-requiring-section-16a-reporting-for-directors-and-officers-of-foreign-private-issuers-fpis-and-provides-exemptive-relief-for-fpi-directors-and-officers
- Does AI Care About Caremark? Applying the Core Principles of Corporate Governance to Artificial Intelligence Integration (March 11, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/does-ai-care-about-caremark-applying-the-core-principles-of-corporate-governance-to-artificial-intelligence-integration
- Board Considerations for Public Companies Engaging with Digital Assets (February 19, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/articles/board-considerations-for-public-companies-engaging-with-digital-assets