Jeremy Dennison – General counsel, Livingbridge
Year of qualification: 2009
Travers Smith, 2007-12
Goodwin Procter, 2012-14
MUSTO, 2014-15
Travers Smith, 2015-18
Livingbridge, 2018-present
Why did you want to become a private equity lawyer?
My first exposure to private equity was during my training contract at Travers Smith, which has one of the leading mid-market private equity practices in the City. I was working with an amazing team of lawyers and loved the buzz of the deal and the elegance of the PE model. I knew early on that this was the area of law I wanted to focus on.
What has been the most memorable moment or deal of your in-house career?
My most memorable moment was making partner at Livingbridge. My most memorable deal came shortly after I joined Livingbridge. The sleep-deprived lawyers and principals on the deal had reached an impasse on a dealbreaker issue. I had the benefit of sleep and distance from the detail, so I was able to approach the challenge from a different angle and ultimately help unlock the deal. It gave me the credibility and confidence I needed to design a more strategic GC role.
What do you think will be the biggest issues to look out for over the next couple of years in PE, and how can in-house lawyers prepare?
Creating value and preventing value destruction are two sides of the same coin. Whilst the investment team primarily focuses on creating value, I and my team spend a lot of time thinking about how to preserve the value we’ve acquired and then added. My view is that this job will become increasingly important as we face into technological, economic and geopolitical disruption and uncertainty.
Why would you recommend a career working in private equity?
It is a privilege to work in such a fast-paced and rapidly evolving industry where you have no option but to think with agility, act with conviction, own your decisions and learn from your mistakes. Every day I work with diverse group of bright and driven people to help build great businesses. It’s hugely rewarding.
