Chicago, Illinois, July 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright today announced that highly experienced dealmaker John Boelter has joined the firm’s Chicago office as a partner in the corporate, M&A and securities practice, further strengthening its extensive transactional capabilities and expanding its service for clients in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries.
John represents private and public companies, financial institutions, funds and investors on high-profile domestic and cross-border initiatives, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, financings and joint ventures. He joins a US team of more than 400 partners and 700 other deal lawyers handling some of the world’s largest transactions. His addition continues the firm’s investment in its business group, becoming its twelfth US lateral partner in 2026.
“John has a well-rounded practice counseling clients across the full lifecycle of M&A projects, which aligns closely with our approach to supporting transactions at every stage,” said Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global and US Managing Partner. “His experience guiding deals in highly regulated sectors, where we are seeing sustained activity and continued investment, enhances our corporate offering in the US and globally.”
Coming from Mayer Brown, John represents clients in strategic, venture and private equity investments, financings, mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and dispositions, recapitalizations and reorganizations across the life sciences, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, industrial, technology, sports, media and entertainment and financial services sectors. He is known for working closely with senior executives and boards on transaction strategy and critical business decisions, especially in matters involving both corporate and regulatory considerations.
John’s arrival also reflects the firm’s continued focus on expanding its footprint in Chicago, where client demand for innovative and sophisticated counsel remains strong. He is the sixth transactions-focused partner to join the office in the last 18 months, following the additions of Adam Arnett and Gordon Klein in private equity, Kyle Gann in M&A, Seth Aigner in finance and Virginia Duong in tax.
“John’s arrival reflects the significant growth and market momentum we are experiencing in Chicago and across our transactional practices,” said Sameer Ghaznavi, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Chicago office Partner-in-Charge. “We continue to attract leading partners because of the strength of our platform, the quality of our clients and the opportunities created by an increasingly complex and active deal environment. John is an excellent example of the caliber of talent choosing Norton Rose Fulbright to help grow their practice and deliver exceptional client service.”
Norton Rose Fulbright’s latest Global M&A Trends and Risks report, developed in partnership with Mergermarket and released last month, highlights renewed confidence in transactional activity for the year ahead. John’s move is timely, as more than half of respondents (52 percent) expect global dealmaking to increase in 2026 and the United States is identified as one of the strongest markets. The findings also point to continued momentum in sectors such as technology and life sciences—prominent areas of focus for the firm and central to John’s practice.
“Norton Rose Fulbright has a top-tier global corporate platform that is investing in the life sciences sector and the complementary intellectual property and regulatory capabilities that complex deals in this space demand,” John added. “The firm’s collaborative approach and focus on strategic growth made it an ideal fit for my practice and my clients.”
Licensed in Illinois, John earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota.
Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright provides a full scope of legal services to the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions. The global law firm has more than 3,000 lawyers advising clients across locations in the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. With its global business principles of quality, unity and integrity, Norton Rose Fulbright is recognized for its client service in key industries, including financial institutions; energy, infrastructure and resources; technology; transport; life sciences and healthcare; and consumer markets. For more information, visit nortonrosefulbright.com.
- Norton Rose Fulbright – John Boelter