Bio

John Spillman is a Partner in the Corporate Practice of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP. Mr. Spillman counsels clients on corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, emerging company issues and international transactions. Mr. Spillman has represented both strategic and financial buyers and sellers, as well as sellers of family-owned and entrepreneurial businesses. He has also assisted numerous foreign companies entering the U.S. market through acquisitions and joint ventures. He has extensive experience in franchise law matters, including the purchase and sale of franchisors and multi-unit franchisees. Mr. Spillman has been listed in Best Lawyers in America® from 2013 to 2017 and 2019 to 2023 for Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Law and has an AV® Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Spillman is a member of the Business and International Law Sections of the American Bar Association, as well as its Forum on Franchising. He is a member of the Board of HOPE Atlanta, an Atlanta non-profit. He is former board chair of Travelers Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. Mr. Spillman is a co-author of: M&A — Protecting the Purchaser and Global Venture Capital Transactions, both published by Kluwer Law International. He has spoken frequently at seminars and written articles on transactional topics. He attended law school at the University of North Carolina, where he served on the Law Review before graduating with honors. He received his undergraduate degree in International Studies from the University of North Carolina.