Practice Areas
- Corporate
- Financial Services
- Independent Sponsor
- Investment Management
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Mezzanine Finance & Private Equity
- Private Equity & Mezzanine Finance
- Search Fund
Education
- B.A., University at Albany; 2000, with honors (Phi Alpha Theta); Dean's List Scholar
- E.C.H.T. Scholar, Eastern Michigan University, 1999
- Georgetown University Law Center, 2004
- J.D., Cardozo Law School; 2003, Dean's Merit Scholar; Managing Editor, Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution
Bar & Court Admissions
- New Jersey, 2003
- New York, 2004
- Connecticut, 2005
- North Carolina, 2009
Other Areas of Law
- Independent Sponsor / Fundless Sponsor transactions
- Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs)
- Business Development Companies (BDCs)
- Venture Capital and Debt
- Specialty Lending
- President's National Volunteer Service Award, 2010 & 2011
- Charlotte Business Journal's Corporate Volunteerism Award, 2010
- Citizen Schools "Spotlight Citizen Teacher" for volunteer work done at Eastway Middle School, 2010
- American Judges Foundation, Essay Competition Winner, "Spoliation Sanctions in the Post-Enron Corporate Community; Procedural Remedies Used to Deter Substantive Corporate Fraud," 2003

Suite 4700
Charlotte, NC 28202-4003
John Gilson represents private equity sponsors, independent sponsors, fundless sponsors, search funds, self-funded searchers, family offices, hedge funds, venture capital investors, SBICs, BDCs, banks, and privately held companies in a broad range of complex business transactions (including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, minority and control equity investments, and cross-border transactions).
John’s practice includes a broad range of corporate transactional matters, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, corporate finance, and general corporate matters. John has extensive experience representing and counseling privately held and emerging companies with drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, corporate governance, the formation and structure of business entities, incentive compensation, and other operational matters.
Prior to joining the firm, John practiced at Paul Hastings LLP and Morrison Cohen LLP in New York.
Core areas of John’s practice include:
- Acquisition and Sponsor Finance
- Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures and Joint Ventures (Buy-Side and Sell-Side)
- Independent Sponsor / Fundless Sponsor Transactions
- Structured Credit and Equity Products
- Mezzanine, Second Lien and Subordinated Debt Investments
John has extensive experience regarding SBIC transactional regulations and has authored articles and lectured on the topic.
He is also a member of the Investment Management Practice, with a focus on private investment fund formation and portfolio transactions.
Of Note
- North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Corporate Finance and Securities, 2013-2018
- Board Member, Association for Corporate Growth, Inc. (ACG Charlotte Chapter), Chapter President, 2016-2017
- Chair, Deal Crawl Committee, ACG Charlotte, 2015
- Graduate, Leadership Charlotte, Class XXXII
- Chairman, Citizen Schools North Carolina, Advisory Board, 2012-2016
- Member, MVA's Public Service Committee
- Completed 2010 ING NYC Marathon as a member of, and fundraiser for, Team LIVESTRONG
- Former varsity lacrosse player (two-time captain), University at Albany
- Former varsity football player, University at Albany
- Youth Baseball Coach, South Park Youth Association (2017 to present)
News
- MVA counsel to Senior Management of Rotating Machinery Services, Inc. during acquisition
- 41 Moore & Van Allen attorneys recognized by Super Lawyers
- Thirty Seven Moore & Van Allen Attorneys Named by Super Lawyers
- Gilson Moderated Panel Discussion with Co-Founders of AvidXchange
- Thirty-nine Moore & Van Allen Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers
- Forty-three Moore & Van Allen Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers
Speaking Engagements
- Citizen Schools Plans Celebration of Volunteers at MVA, May 14, 2014, Citizen Schools joins with Moore & Van Allen to recognize, congratulate and thank volunteers with a Citizen Teacher Social
- Gilson and Zirkle Present on SBIC Investments, Small Business Investment Companies: The Anatomy of an SBIC Investment, June 27, 2012
- Financial Services CLE Luncheon, David vs. Goliath; Madoff: Lessons From History's Largest Ponzi Scheme, October 2009
Publications
- September 2017
- March 2015
- Law360, December 2014
- October 22, 2014
Professional Affiliations
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Mecklenburg County Bar Association
- Association for Corporate Growth, Inc. - Carolinas Chapter