Jon Solorzano
Two California Plaza
350 South Grand Avenue
Suite 2100
Los Angeles, California 90071
The Grace Building
1114 Avenue of the Americas
32nd Floor
New York, New York 10036
I really enjoy helping my clients develop and implement practical and strategic solutions that anticipate and address the ever-evolving needs of their shareholders and other critical stakeholders Jon’s practice focuses on advising public and private companies and their boards of directors and executive teams on matters and opportunities related to environmental, social and governance (ESG), corporate governance, sustainability considerations, shareholder activism, risk management, securities law and M&A. As Senior Director, Legal and Corporate Development for The Clorox Company from 2015 through 2022, he helped build and manage a comprehensive ESG program and helped lead the company’s ESG strategy, stakeholder engagement and ESG reporting. He also helped establish and execute strategies around climate change, plastics and waste, supply chain transparency and diversity and inclusion. Jon advises clients, including public companies, on securities disclosure, corporate governance and compliance matters. Jon plays a strategic role in advising clients on a broad range of ESG issues and related risks, including the development of sustainability reporting, corporate ESG programs and governance oversight and the establishment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions targets, plastics and waste goals, product safety and stewardship principles, and diversity and inclusion priorities.
Jon’s valuable in-house background brings a unique and pragmatic perspective to clients assessing and incorporating ESG practices into their corporate strategies.
He serves as Co-Head of V&E’s ESG Taskforce.
Experience Highlights
Served as Assistant Corporate Secretary at The Clorox Company, a major multinational Consumer Packaged Goods company
Led engagement program with leading institutional investors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on ESG and corporate governance matters, including frequent engagements related to climate change, plastics and waste, high-risk supply chains, inclusion and diversity, board of directors skills, capabilities and refreshment, executive compensation and other matters
Frequently assists clients in the development of policies and practices to enhance strategic ESG goals and mitigate risks with stakeholders, including but not limited to, climate action plans, codes of conduct, diversity & inclusion policies, responsible marketing policies, deforestation and biodiversity loss policies, animal testing policies, chemical safety policies and responsible marketing policies
Regularly advises clients on sustainability disclosures, including Sustainability Reports, SEC filings, Sustainability Accounting Board (SASB) reporting, reporting in accordance with the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), among others
Fortune 500 Company in its development, organization and implementation of ESG strategies and corporate reporting
Secured wind and solar Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs) in furtherance of corporate greenhouse gas emissions goals
Regularly advises clients in connection with ESG crisis management, corporate communications related to activist NGO campaigns, class-action litigation, political expenditures and trade association affiliations and other corporate reputational risk matters
Due diligence related to ESG considerations in connection with M&A and other strategic combinations
Strategic prioritization of ESG ratings platforms to maximize access to investor capital and to mitigate proxy voting concerns
Major consumer facing company in its development of principles for the corporation to speak out or engage with its various stakeholders on politically charged or divisive social and environmental issues
Various 14a-8 shareholder proposals regarding corporate governance matters, inclusion and diversity and sustainability topics
Advised clients on organizational enhancements to ensure climate change risk considerations managed by executive enterprise risk management committee with appropriate board of directors oversight
Regularly advises clients on fiduciary duties, Regulation Fair Disclosure considerations, and establishment of data reporting and controls for ESG matters
Lead attorney on various acquisitions of well-known consumer brands for multinational consumer products company
Development and implementation of corporate venture program to make strategic minority investments and structure partnerships in connection with company’s sustainability goals
Led negotiation of complex Joint Venture arrangements in Middle East for manufacturer of consumer facing branded products
Hostile “deal-jump” transaction and tender offer to break up previously announced Merger of Equals transaction
Regularly provides counsel to public companies, private companies, and private equity firms in buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions
Early-stage companies in equity and debt financings and strategic M&A exits
Credentials
- Columbia University School of Law, J.D., 2008 (Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar; Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law; Articles Editor, Columbia Journal of Law and the Arts)
- University of California at Santa Barbara, B.A., Political Science and International Relations with honors, 2004
- Member: Board of Directors for Oak Grove School, an independent PreK-12 School in Ojai, California
- California
- New York
- Spanish (conversational)
- EventJune 14, 2023Virtual
- CLE EventJune 8, 2023Webcast
- InsightMay 26, 2023
- InsightMay 16, 2023
- InsightApril 3, 2023
Published in IFLR, March 21, 2023
- InsightApril 3, 2023
V&E Securities & ESG Update
- InsightMarch 24, 2023
Published in Westlaw Today, Thomson Reuters, March 20, 2023
- Press ReleaseJanuary 9, 2023
- “General Counsels on the Front Line: Balancing ESG and Economic Priorities,” Thomson Reuters Westlaw, March 20, 2023 (co-author)
- Jon frequently speaks at industry events and conferences about corporate governance and ESG topics.