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, a Midwest regional law firm with Minnesota offices in Minneapolis (headquarters), St. Paul and Mankato, and additional offices in Fargo and Bismarck, North Dakota, Des Moines and Ames, Iowa, Madison, Wisconsin, Shanghai, China, and Saltillo, Mexico. From 2011 to 2014, he was Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee (CGC) of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section. He has served as a member of the Section’s Governing Council and as Vice Chair of the Section’s Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility. He currently Co-Chairs the Section's Working Group on the Rule of Law, and Co-Chairs the CGC’s Artificial Intelligence Sub-Committee.

John Co-Chairs Fredrikson’s Corporate Governance and Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility Groups, and is a member of its International, Sports & Entertainment and Mergers & Acquisitions 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, 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, of which he is an Emeritus Director) and a former Trustee of Carleton College. John is a co-founder and former director of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association and currently serves as META's corporate secretary. He is a co-founder and former director of the Minnesota Motion Picture and Television Board and a director of the Minnesota Film Alliance. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Wild and Free Foundation, which has founded a soccer league (the Rhino Cup Champions League) which operates in four African countries.

John is an Adjunct Professor, co-teaching with Melodie Rose, the firm's President a governance course at the University of St. Thomas Law School in Minneapolis. He frequently writes and speaks on corporate governance subjects and has served as an expert witness on governance matters. John is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and is a a member with Melodie Rose and Elizabeth Dunshee of the American College of Governance Counsel. In 2018, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Corporate Governance from Twin Cities Business (a monthly business magazine). 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

• Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Governance Law, 2016-2025
• Top Lawyer - International Trade Law, Minnesota Monthly, 2024
• Who’s Who Legal: Governance, International, Meridian House, 2019-2023
• North Star Lawyer for Pro Bono Services, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2012-2014, 2016-2019, 2021-2023
• Lawyer of the Year in Minneapolis for Corporate Governance Law, Best Lawyers, 2017-2022
• The (REAL) Power 50 Award, Minnesota Business, 2018
• Elected to American College of Governance Council, 2017
• Lifetime Achievement Award for Corporate Governance, Twin Cities Business, 2017
• Named Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association, 2011
• 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
• 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; Corporate Social Responsibility Co-Chair. 2022-2023
• 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), Former Advisory Board Member
• University of St. Thomas Law School, University of St. Thomas Opus School of Business, Adjunct Professor, Corporate Governance (20 years)
• The Working Group on the Rule of Law, American Bar Association, Business Law Section
• American College of Governance Counsel (current member)

Community

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