John M. Cross, Jr.

John M. Cross, Jr.


Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP

Recognized since 2012

Greensboro, North Carolina

Practice Areas

Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

Corporate Law

Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Send John M. Cross, Jr. an email at jcross@brookspierce.com Navigate to map location for John M. Cross, Jr.
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Spinning circle Big letter B

John Cross is a corporate attorney and business adviser, often serving as the outside general counsel for companies not large enough to have an in-house legal department. He assists clients in general business and transactional matters, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, securities, franchises, and real estate.

John works with individuals and businesses on various corporate and transactional matters, including formation, organization and choice of entities, shareholder agreements, LLC agreements, non-competes, employment agreements, investor rights agreements, securities, loan and finance matters, secured transactions, compliance policies, sales, service and general contract matters. He also negotiates real estate acquisitions, finance and lease transactions.

John also represents businesses in mergers and acquisitions and corporate reorganization efforts. He also assists private equity investors with their investments to existing and startup companies.

He represents both franchisors and franchisees in negotiating the terms of the franchise relationship and franchise compliance matters. He has assisted franchisors with developing franchise disclosure documents (FDDs), franchise agreements, regional developer agreements, non-competition agreements, and other additional required agreements. When working with franchisees, he assists in reviewing and providing advice regarding the FDDs and other franchise documents and assisting franchisees as they negotiate agreements and address other general corporate matters.

Location
  • Renaissance Plaza, Suite 2000
    230 North Elm Street
    P.O. Box 26000
    Greensboro, NC 27420
Education
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, JD, graduated 1995
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BS, graduated 1992
Bar Admissions
  • North Carolina, United States
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Triad (2025)
  • Corporate Law, Triad (2024)
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Triad (2023)
  • Corporate Law, Triad (2022)
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Greensboro (2019)
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Greensboro (2017)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Special Focus:
  • COVID-19
Awards:
  • Recognized in Super Lawyers Business Edition for Business/Corporate Law (2015)
  • Received ABA Young Lawyer Division Award for Achievement & Outstanding Activities and Accomplishment (1999-2000)
  • Recognized in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as a "Recognized Practitioner" in Corporate/M&A (2018, 2023-2024)
  • Received Denise E. Maleska Leadership Service Award by Leadership Greensboro (2021)
  • Recognized by his peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina's "Legal Elite" in Business Law (2015-2022) and permanently recognized in the "Hall of Fame" for Corporate Law
  • Recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers in Business/Corporate Law (2014-2019), and as a "Rising Star" in Business/Corporate Law (2009-2010)
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Animal Law
  • Franchise Law

Publications

Your browser is not fully compatible with our automatic printer friendly formatting.

Please use the print button to print this profile page.

Spinning circle Big letter B