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, Ireland, the Netherlands, Uruguay and Lithuania. He teaches courses in the business law area, including business associations/corporations, contracts, advanced corporate law, and comparative corporate governance.
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 serves as Director of the Law School's Corporate Institute. Professor Matheson is also a practicing lawyer. He serves as Of Counsel to Kaplan, Strangis and Kaplan, P.A., specializing in corporate governance counseling, fiduciary duties, mergers and acquisitions, and securities law matters. He is a member of the American Law Institute and is profiled in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.
On five occasions Professor Matheson has been the recipient of the Law School's annual Professor of the Year Award for Excellence in Teaching and Counseling. 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.
Corporations and Other Business Associations: Statutes, Rules and Forms (West, 1996) (Rev. eds. 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000) (with Edward Adams)
Modern Commercial Paper: The New Law of Negotiable Instruments (and Related Commercial Paper) (West, 1994) (with Steve H. Nickles & Edward Adams)
Minnesota Corporation Law & Practice (Prentice Hall Law & Business, 1992) (with Philip Garon)
Materials For Understanding Credit and Payment Systems (West Publishing Company, 1987) (with Steve H. Nickles & John F. Dolan)
Book Chapters
Common Law Veil Piercing in the USA: An Empirical Examination, in Financial Crisis, Globalisation and Regulatory Reform (David A. Frenkel & Carsten Gerner-Beuerle, eds., ATINER, 2012)
Journal Articles
Successor Liability, 96 Minnesota Law Review 371 (2011)
The Modern Law of Corporate Groups: An Empirical Study of Piercing the Corporate Veil in the Parent-Subsidiary Context, 87 North Carolina Law Review 1091 (2009)
A Simple Statutory Solution to Minority Oppression in the Closely-Held Business, 91 Minnesota Law Review 657 (2007), reprinted in 49 Corporate Practice Commentator 421 (2007) (with R. Kevin Maler)
Globalization with Chinese Characteristics: China's Use of Merger, Acquisition and Investment Policy in Its Economic Development Strategy, 15 Willamette Journal of International Law and Dispute Resolution 1 (2007)
Multidisciplinary Practice and the Future of the Legal Profession: Considering a Role for Independent Directors, 32 Loyola University Chicago Law Journal 577 (2001) (with Peter Favorite)
Not "If" but "How": Reflecting on the ABA Commission's Recommendations on Multidisciplinary Practice, 84 Minnesota Law Review 1269 (2000) (with Edward Adams)
The Doctrine of Piercing the Veil in an Era of Multiple Limited Liability Entities: An Opportunity to Codify the Test for Waiving Owners' Limited Liability Protection, 75 Washington Law Review 147 (2000) (with Raymond Eby)
Corporate Cooperation, Relationship Management, and the Trialogical Imperative for Corporate Law, 78 Minnesota Law Review 1443 (1994) (with Brent Olson)
Hostile Share Acquisitions and Corporate Governance: A Framework for Evaluating Antitakeover Activities, 47 University of Pittsburgh Law Review 407 (1986) (with Jon Norberg)
The Proper Role of Res Judicata and Collateral Estoppel in Title VII Suits, 79 Michigan Law Review 1485 (1981) (with Charles Jackson & Thomas Piskorski)
Violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act as a Defense to Contract Enforcement Actions: The Problem and a Proposal, 71 Northwestern University Law Review 67 (1976) (comment)
Academic Freedom, in Encyclopedia of the First Amendment (John Vile, David Hudson, Jr., & David Schultz, eds., CQ Press, 2008)
Blue Sky Laws, in Encyclopedia of the First Amendment (John Vile, David Hudson, Jr., & David Schultz, eds., CQ Press, 2008)
Catholics (Roman), in Encyclopedia of the First Amendment (John Vile, David Hudson, Jr., & David Schultz, eds., CQ Press, 2008)
Conscientious Objection to Military Service, in Encyclopedia of the First Amendment (John Vile, David Hudson, Jr., & David Schultz, eds., CQ Press, 2008)
Securities and Exchange Commission, in Encyclopedia of the First Amendment (John Vile, David Hudson, Jr., & David Schultz, eds., CQ Press, 2008)
American Bar Association, in The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (David Schultz & John R. Vile, eds., Sharpe Reference, 2005)
Common Law, in The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (David Schultz & John R. Vile, eds., Sharpe Reference, 2005)
Directed Verdicts, in The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (David Schultz & John R. Vile, eds., Sharpe Reference, 2005)
Freedom of Contract, in The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (David Schultz & John R. Vile, eds., Sharpe Reference, 2005)
Summary Judgment, in The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America (David Schultz & John R. Vile, eds., Sharpe Reference, 2005)
Insider Trading, in Encyclopedia of American Law (David Schulz, ed., Facts on File, 2002)
Liberty of Contract, in Encyclopedia of American Law (David Schulz, ed., Facts on File, 2002)
Securities and Exchange Commission, in Encyclopedia of American Law (David Schulz, ed., Facts on File, 2002)
Multimedia
Liability of Agent to Third Parties: On the Contract and Warranty of Authority (Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction, 2003) (CALI lesson) (with Eric Gouvin)
