I am a partner specialising in mergers and acquisitions, with an emphasis on private equity transactions in the mid-cap market. I advise investment funds, mezzanine lenders and management teams on their ventures, investments, buy-outs, flotations and restructurings.

Tel: +33 (0)1 42 99 35 54
Email: jerome_patenotte@wragge.com

Services: Commercial, Corporate

Best brains in...

• Tricky transactions where diplomacy is needed to make the deal happen
• Complex preference shares and warrants based on financial performance
• Resolving multi-jurisdictional M&A issues in cross-border deals, where cultural gaps have to be bridged first in order for confidence to be established

Highlight of your career so far?

A restaurant chain buy-out, followed by restructuring of the group in order to allow further expansion. The group was listed on the Eurolist C of Euronext Paris and had performed a remarkable recovery from its distressed position in the early 2000s. From a block-acquisition of less than 40% of the share capital, we made all the way up to the delisting thanks to an innovative leveraged buy-out (LBO) structure and a highly complex senior loan.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

Oddly enough, the most challenging one was one of the smallest! We helped a fast growing internet-based business reorganise its share capital through the lengthy exit of greedy business angels, the structuring of a primary LBO via a tense 'beauty contest' and the setting up of a management company in which all employees - from top management to switchboard operators - had access to the LBO incentive package on the same terms. The whole process took more than a year to complete. Today, this phoenix company is an award-winning business and has just completed a successful build-up which caters for a comfortable exit of the investors in a few years.

What about outside France?

Nearly all of our assignments have an international flavour and require the use of the English language. Who said that the LBO in France is purely a domestic market?

What's your definition of going the extra mile... And when have you done it?

Going the extra mile in my field is being perceived as a trustworthy professional, even in situations which are not directly related to transactions. A number of clients, even long after a deal is closed, call me to talk about personal legal issues, and I always try to help to the best of my abilities.

Best example of a creative legal solution?

The down-turn of the LBO market brought restructurings and tense re-financing negotiations with pools of senior banks. The signed agreements have often been tailored to the situation of each borrower and we have had to adapt and design a number of innovative financial clauses, such as new mechanics for excess cash early re-payment.

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

In its review of the French mid-cap Private Equity lawyers published in 2008, Décideurs Juridique called me a "young prodigy". Clearly overstated, but pleasant to hear.