Husch Blackwell welcomes Partner Joe R. Thompson to the firm’s Kansas City, Mo., office. As the newest member of Husch Blackwell’s Food & Agribusiness team, he brings more than 15 years’ experience counseling clients in the industry.
Prior to joining Husch Blackwell, Thompson was a partner in the Minneapolis office of Barnes & Thornberg LLP (2013-2015), where he served as co-chair of the firm’s Agriculture and Food Practice Group. While there, he counseled agribusiness, food processing, beverage, manufacturing and renewable energy clients, among others, on joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and related commercial transactions. He has also handled matters involving strategic business entity structuring and restructuring, project development, private and public equity capitalization and co-packing, supply and tolling agreements. Previously, Thompson was a Partner with Stoel Rives LLP (2007-2013) and with Lindquist & Vennum LLP (1999-2007), where he started his legal career.
Thompson received his J.D., with Distinction, from the University of Iowa College of Law (1998), and his B.S. in Agricultural Business, with honors and Distinction, from Iowa State University (1993).
Husch Blackwell’s Food & Agribusiness team advises and advocates for its industry clients and provides counsel in several areas of business including agribusiness finance and capital raising; animal health and plant biotechnology/crop science; branding and advertising; food and beverage production and processing; food imports and exports; government regulation; human resources; mergers and acquisitions; organic production and certification; packaging and labeling requirements; sales and distribution; and supply chain and commodity tracking.