Tom Patrick – GC, Charterhouse
Year of qualification: 1999
White & Case, 2001-05
D.B. Zwirn & Co, 2005-10
Charterhouse, 2010-present
Why did you want to become a private equity lawyer?
I didn’t really – I originally wanted to be a journalist but once I did law, I was very keen to go in-house and get closer to the business.
What has been the most memorable moment or deal of your in-house career?
There are a few (and many that can’t be shared), but often it’s the things you prevent from happening rather than, say, a 5x deal you work on. One memorable moment was being in the witness box and being asked by the other side’s barrister to read a section of my own handwritten notes – no-one could decipher what I’d written (including me).
Why would you recommend a career working in private equity?
It is never dull and there is such a broad range of commercial and legal issues which need to be considered for every decision. In-house PE lawyers also have a lot of exposure to specialists in different disciplines including M&A, finance, antitrust, tax, funds, regulatory, employment, etc.
