John H. Stout

John represents family-owned, closely-held and publicly-owned businesses in governance, sustainability (ESG) and social responsibility (CSR), financial and international business matters.

John practices in business organization, finance and governance at Fredrikson & Byron P.A., a Minneapolis-based law firm with offices in Iowa, North Dakota, Mexico and China. From 2011 to 2014 he was Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee (CGC) of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section. He is a member of the Section’s Governing Council and serves as Vice Chair of the Section’s Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (focusing primarily on business sustainability matters) and Co-Chair of the CGC’s Artificial Intelligence Sub-Committee.

John Co-Chairs Fredrikson & Byron’s Corporate Governance and Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility Groups, as well as co-chairing the firm’s working group on Artificial Intelligence. He is also a member of the firm’s Corporate, Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions and International Groups. He advises executives, boards, board committees and individual directors and officers of for-profit and nonprofit organizations on domestic and international governance, risk assessment, indemnification and insurance, legal compliance, internal investigations, board and director evaluations and performance improvement, business sustainability and social responsibility matters, oversight of Artificial Intelligence usage, and the legal implications of business strategies and decisions.

John serves as a director of several nonprofit and for-profit corporations. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Corporate Directors (and co-founder of its Minnesota Chapter), the Center for International Private Enterprise and a former Trustee of Carleton College.

John is an Adjunct Professor, co-teaching a governance course, at the University of St. Thomas Law School in Minneapolis and frequently writes and speaks on corporate governance subjects. He has also served as an expert witness on governance matters. John is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a member of the American College of Governance Counsel. In 2018, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Corporate Governance from Twin Cities Business. He is also a member of the University of St. Thomas Twin Cities Artificial Intelligence Roundtable.

Education

• University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1967
• Carleton College, B.A., 1962

Admissions

• Minnesota, 1967

• Who’s Who Legal: Governance, International, Meridian House, 2019-2021
• The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Governance Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Minneapolis, 2017 and 2022
• The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Governance Law, 2016-present
• Pro Bono All Star, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2020
• Who's Who Legal, Nominee, Corporate Governance, 2020
• The (REAL) Power 50 Award, Minnesota Business, 2018
• North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2012-2014, 2016-2019, 2021
• Lifetime Achievement Award for Corporate Governance, Twin Cities Business, 2017
• Twin Cities International Citizens Award, International Leadership Institute, 2009
• Champion of the Year Award, Metropolitan Economic Development Association, 2006
• Super Lawyer-International Transactions, Arts and Entertainment, Sports, E-Commerce, Securities & Ventures Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Minnesota Super Lawyers, 1998-2006
• Pro Bono Distinguished Service Award, Fredrikson & Byron, September 2005
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Milestone Growth Fund, May 2005
• Minority Business Advocate of the Year, Business Journal, June 2003
• Public Service Award, American Bar Association Section of Business Law, 1997
• Distinguished Legal Service Award, Corporate Legal Times, September 1997
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Metropolitan Economic Development Association, May 1997
• Award for Distinguished Achievement, Carleton College, June 1992

Professional Activities

• American Bar Association, Governing Council, Committee on Corporate Governance (Chair), Business Law Section (Chair); Sub-Committee on International Governance Developments (Co-Chair); Committee on Non Profit Governance (Co-Chair); Task Force on Director and Officer Liability
• Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
• Hennepin County Bar Association, Member
• National Association of Corporate Directors, Minneapolis Chapter, Former Member, Director and Chair Emeritus, Board of Directors
• National Association of Corporate Directors, Blue Ribbon Commissions on Risk Governance, Board Leadership and Director Professionalism
• National Association of Corporate Directors, Best Practices Council on Preventing and Detecting Fraud and Other Illegal Activities
• Malaysian Alliance of Corporate Directors (MACD), Advisory Board Member
• University of St. Thomas Law School, University of St. Thomas Opus School of Business, Adjunct Professor, Corporate Governance

Community

• Metropolitan Economic Development Association Co-Founder, Director, Past Chair, Secretary
• Milestone Growth Fund, Co-Founder, Director, Chair, and Secretary
• Minnesota Film Board, Co-Founder, Director, Past Chair
• Center for International Private Enterprise, Director, Member of Executive Committee)
• Carleton College, Past Member, Board of Trustees