John Rhorer has extensive experience in real estate law, having learned the nuts and bolts of real property by examining titles to properties in more than 40 of Kentucky's counties. His hands-on understanding of title issues arising from poor descriptions, boundary disputes, adverse possession, lost courthouse records, overlapping patents, conflicting ownership, etc., allowed John to bring a unique perspective to his practice and taught him the importance of precision, clarity and thoroughness in negotiating and drafting real estate-related documents. To solve a problem, one has to fully understand the problem and John's "from the ground up" knowledge of real property has allowed him to successfully advise clients in the real estate arena for more than 30 years.
John has substantial experience consulting clients in the buying, selling and leasing of all types of real property interests, from thousands of acres of coal properties to urban commercial properties; from beautiful Bluegrass horse farms to single family residences. He has particular experience in mineral transactions, having assisted dozens of mineral companies with buying, selling and leasing mineral reserves and surface interests as well as the financing of those transactions. On numerous occasions, John has acted as counsel to out-of-state lenders or law firms who are seeking the special local knowledge of mineral and real estate law that he and Dinsmore can provide.
John is a lifelong and loyal resident of Central Kentucky, having been born and raised in Frankfort, educated at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky and the University of Kentucky and resided in Lexington for more than 34 years. He has blended his legal experience with his love and appreciation of Kentucky history with his service on the Board of the Bluegrass Trust For Historic Preservation (serving as President for a term) and as Chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, an agency of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.
Memberships & Affiliations
· Kentucky Coal Association
· Lexington Coal Exchange
· Fayette County Bar Association, past President
· Energy and Mineral Law Foundation, Trustee
· Centre College Alumni Association, past Board Member
· Gods Pantry Foodbank, Inc., past President
· Good Shepherd Day School, past President
· Leadership Kentucky, 1994 class
· Leadership Lexington, 1983 class
· Fayette County Pro Bono Program, Past Board Member
· The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, Past President
· Lexington-Fayette County Historic Preservation Commission, Chair
Distinctions
· Peer Review Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell
· Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® since 1999
· Selected for the Kentucky Super Lawyers® List
· Listed in Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Business Lawyers
Experience
Credit Agreement
Calyon New York Branch
$80,000,000 credit agreement related to financing of coal company
Joint Venture
Seed Restaurant Group, Inc.
Joint venture for Seed Restaurant Group, Inc., owner and franchisor of Fazoli's quick-casual Italian restaurant chain, with over 300 company owned and franchised locations in 32 states, with major international fast food franchisor.
Merger
Mason & Hanger Corporation
Acquisition via merger involving one of the oldest continuously active engineering and construction firms in the United States, which in recent years has played key roles in the country's defense industry.
Corporate Reorganization and Asset Purchase
Seed Restaurant Group, Inc.
Corporate reorganization and asset sale of Seed Restaurant Group, Inc., owner and franchisor of the Fazoli's quick-casual Italian restaurant chain, with over 300 company owned and franchised locations in 32 states
Acquisition via Merger
Host Communications, Inc.
Approximately $158,000,000 in cash and common stock acquisition via merger for sports and entertainment marketing and association management company.
Asset Purchase and Stock Purchase
Hunter Manufacturing Group, Inc.
Asset and stock sale of Hunter Manufacturing Group, Inc., a Lexington, Kentucky based manufacturing company which manufactures and distributes licensed sports merchandise throughout the United States and Canada
Big Sandy Company, L.P. v. Sidney Coal Company and Cliffs Mining
Big Sandy Company, L.P.
Breach of contract
Publications
February 17, 2012, Do Law Students Receive Sufficient Real-World Training?
February 4, 2011, Supreme Court Affirms Coal Company's Efforts to Exercise Surface Rights
March 14, 2005, Trouble With Your Co-Tenant? Partition of Real Property and Sale of Real Property with Division of Proceeds
Presentations
May 11, 2003, "Leasing Minerals when Title is in Dispute," 28th Annual University of Kentucky Conference on Mineral Law
May 10, 2002, "Coal Update," 27th Annual University of Kentucky Conference on Mineral Law
May 12, 1997, "Partition Suite of Land with Substantial Mineral Values," 22nd University of Kentucky Conference on Mineral Law
May 14, 1991, "Acid Rain Legislation and Force Majeure Implications under Long-Term Supply Contracts," 16th Annual University of Kentucky Conference on Mineral Law