John H. Matheson

Law Alumni Distinguished Professor of Law

John H. Matheson

N222 Mondale Hall
229–19th Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55455

612-625-3879

mathe001@umn.edu

Illinois State University, B.S.
Northwestern University, J.D.

Professor John H. Matheson is an internationally recognized expert in the area of corporate and business law. He has taught in China, Germany, the Netherlands, and Lithuania. He teaches courses in business associations/corporations, contracts, corporate finance, comparative corporate governance, publicly held corporations, and closely held businesses.

Professor Matheson received his B.S. degree from Illinois State University with high honors. He received his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Northwestern University Law Review. After completing his J.D. degree, he clerked for Judge Robert A. Sprecher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Professor Matheson then practiced with the law firm of Hedlund, Hunter & Lynch (now Latham & Watkins) in Chicago.

In 1982, he joined the University of Minnesota Law School faculty. He also serves as co-director of the Center for Business Law at the Law School. He is of counsel to the Minneapolis law firm of Kaplan, Strangis and Kaplan, where he specializes in corporate governance counseling, mergers and acquisitions, and securities law matters. He is a member of the American Law Institute and is listed in Who's Who in America.

On five occasions Professor Matheson has been the recipient of the Law School's annual Stanley V. Kinyon Outstanding Teaching and Counseling Award. In 2008, Professor Matheson received the University-wide Award for Outstanding Contributions to Postbaccalaureate, Graduate and Professional Education and was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers. He is the first Law School professor to be so honored by the University.

Professor Matheson's several books and numerous articles predominantly address business and corporate law issues. In 2007, one of Professor Matheson's co-authored articles, "Challenging Delaware's Desirability as a Haven for Incorporation," received the 2007 National Burton Award for Legal Excellence. The National Burton Awards Program was created to reward effective legal writing that uses plain, clear language and avoids stilted legalese.